Gensokyo 20XXV: New Beginnings (AKA Apartment Gensokyo)
by Amoridere
Summary: Don't worry, this is something a bit more lighter and softer, mostly slice of life, with some serious elements thrown in here and there. It is their lives as they live after the nuclear winter (which has ended) and in an anarchist society that has come after society initially collapsed.
1. Modest Luxury

I suppose being the head landlady of an apartment building is nice, be it if it is of an anarchy. Of course, we are still living in the aftermath of nuclear war, so society has not entirely healed from it but at least there is one, even if it is rather unorthodox to some. Then again, at least food is available, there is running water, electricity-TV!-, health care, and schooling. At least, I have contributed to everyone having a home and they seem to enjoy that thought, especially, Reimu, then again she likes anything she sees as new. It didn't cost much of anything, except my amethyst earrings, and a new house is worth more than those things.

As we live our lives in this apartment building and in this anarchist society, I feel I can for once finally be at ease. After all, our needs are met and we are living in what I would like very much to call a modest luxury. It is, after all, as we are not groveling on the street like many of the tenants that have come to live here or fighting to survive in the forest that has grown too unruly to tame. Though, frankly, I wish we didn't have to eat ratburgers, I've grown pretty fed up with ratburgers.

* * *

"Reimu, don't put your hands into the hot food."

"Why?"

"Because, Ran will get mad if you do."

"Nuh-uh! Liarpants Ren, she didn't get mad the last time!"

"She didn't know you did put your fingers into hot food and that is why she didn't get mad."


	2. Ran and the Children

Reimu still doesn't respond to pain and doesn't seem to comprehend why it is she isn't allowed to put her hands into hot food, especially while it is being cooked. Of course, Yukari did note that she has put her hands into hot things so many times she probably doesn't feel it anymore because, in her words, "if Reimu's put her hands into something hot so many times, then there is a pretty good chance that if it did hurt then it doesn't, as she is probably used to it." and the fact that she doesn't learn. I should have expected this to be so, as she's endured so much mental trauma that it will take ages to erase. However, she did seem to recover from some of it. Aside from being absent a sense of danger or not responding to pain and or injuries and still requiring braces or wheelchair (she can't walk long distances), she is very much a normal child and is even more capable of enjoying this world.

Of course, that sort of thing puts her in some sort of conflict with the others, especially when she is told she isn't allowed to do something. I've dealt with her putting her hands into the food, especially while I am cooking it. I tell her not to but she does it anyway, so I pawn the problem off to Yukari, who gives her the same reprimand, "That's no good, Reimu, you have to mind what Ran says." She usually doesn't listen but, then again, what is there really to expect from that? Children don't often listen and tends to do things because to them it is right, while to adults it is wrong, and that is why they have to be guided, as they are innocent and ignorant to what sort of dangers there are, Reimu especially, doubly so in these anarchistic times.

Naturally, I do hope that the children could go outside and play without needing to be watched over so often, but there isn't anywhere for them to really play, not without them possibly getting injured, getting taken somewhere, or getting into and or eating and drinking something they probably shouldn't, something we've dealt with one time too many, especially after the incident with the flowers. We could get them some education but there isn't that many schools and the ones that are around aren't very safe and many of the teachers are closer to that of students than they are teachers, so we teach them at home. Sometimes, when I go out, I might take one or a few of them with me but that in itself has resulted in my putting them on leashes or carrying one of them (i.e Reimu) and that one time with lead pipe and I would be damned if I let that happen again.

When at home, the children are simply content or running around in the hallways to some of the tenants' dismay. Often, I am usually taking care of them, while Yukari rents out rooms and handles paperwork and Ren is usually searching for or buying food with the money Yukari tends to give him. If they aren't running around in the hallways, they are usually watching videotapes (_The Moomins_ is a favorite) or something they tend to amuse themselves with whatever, if not sleeping.

Recently, Chen and Sakuya got into a little spat over a can of sardines and the former considered on running over the latter with her wheelchair. This wasn't the first one and it wasn't definitely going to be the last. They always had spats like this and, frankly, I have confronted Sakuya on it but she has a fondness of very much picking on the others because she thinks she's the oldest and the biggest (Chen is a little smaller than she is), therefore she can do what she wants. It always went like this with Chen saying, "You always eat my sardines!" to which Sakuya says, "I don't see your name on 'em!"

"You don't even like 'em but you eat 'em because I do and you don't want me to have 'em!"

"Yeah, well, you eat to many of 'em anyway!"

"No, I don't and I never had any because you are always eating them!"

_(Slap!)_

"Ran-mommie, Sakuya's hitting me again!"

"You're a crybaby! Crybaby, crybaby, cry, cry, cry!"

Naturally, I intervene and say, "You stop hitting Chen or you can go right back next door with Remilia and Flandre, after all, if you going to live in the same apartment with us then you'll abide by our rules, two of which is we don't hit others and we don't eat someone else's snacks." She would cross her arms and turn away, huffing. Sometimes, I wonder why it is we don't send her live back with Remilia and Flandre but, then again, they would most certainly send her back at her insistence, so that is why she lives here. Never could understand why, though.

* * *

"Birthday!"


	3. Birthday Wish

According to Yukari-mommy, I have a seventh or eighth birthday coming soon. She also stated it will be Maribel and Renko's birthday, too, because we don't really know their birthdays, so I'll have to share mine. It's okay because I love Maribel and Renko and it'll be fun. I wonder if we'll have cake and I haven't cake in a long time. According to Auntie-sister Ran, she says cake is scarce and that whether or not she can get or bake one depends on what is there. Of course, I asked her if I can go with and she didn't really give me an answer but I insist I go with! I want to go outside and see the sunshine but Ran usually says no. She never does say why, though, but it is always no and I think it is because I am frail. I stopped asking after that but I do hope I can go outside for my birthday, at least once.

Humph! When I'm not outside, I'm on harness tied to leash tied to a hook somewhere so I won't go in the kitchen and its awful 'cause no one else has to be on a leash and harness but I do. The only time I'm allowed out of it is when Ran isn't cooking. Sure, I can move around the living room but it is what Chen says is restrained, which means I can move but I can't exactly do as I want. Damn! Sometimes, I try to get of my harness but Ran put the buckles on the back, along with the loop for the leash clasp. She never really did say why I have to be in this but I have to be and I think it has something to do with putting my hands in the food.

Either way, my wishes for my birthday is so I can go outside and not have to be in my harness.

* * *

"How did Yukari manage to trade a pair earrings for this place?"


	4. Earrings for an Apartment Building

It has been a little while and Huzi still cannot fathom as to how Yukari managed to trade a pair of earrings for ownership of this place and, honestly, I can't either but she did and they were really pretty earrings and they were _rare _but, then again, something had to be given in exchange for something and Ran notes it was either those or her wedding jewelry and Yukari would not have wanted Ran to give up her wedding jewelry. Of course, I am grateful Yukari gave up something as her own so we wouldn't have to but it still reminds me of the fact that she has resigned herself to playing the martyr. However, it is better that what she could have traded like one of the children (people have a habit of trading kids or whatever to get something) or she could have sold herself. Either way, something had to give.

I suppose sacrifice is good for modest luxury, after all, I would have traded anything valuable or useful to get something. Of course, that is the only sort of way we can survive in a post-apocalyptic anarchic society, as well as the fact we cannot really trust much of anyone besides those we are really close to. Every night, we load the guns, deadbolt the door, and keep are windows boarded up save a few small spaces here and there to put the gun tip and the grenades through because people might try to break in, never mind the fact that the landlady is right across the hall. However, Huzi was insistent, being that someone people had ambushed, beaten her up, and taken her shoes.

Either way, it didn't stop us from discussing it. "How did Yukari managed to trade a pair of earrings for this place?" Huzi asked, sipping a beer before passing it to me and then Suika.

Suika blinked her half lidded eyes and said, "Oh, I don't know, I guess her earrings were that damn special. Eh, uh, what'dya think, Kaguya?"

I blinked and answered, "Oh, I don't know. They must have been rare and someone wanted them and figured it was worth as much all of this."

"Rare?"

"Yes, Huzi, rare and they were."

"Yeah, yeah, either way somethin' had to give."

"Yeah, I suppose but earrings for an apar'ment building?"

"Well, it was either Ran's wedding jewelry, one or two of the kids, or Yukari offer herself and we all know for a fact that she wasn't going to give any of those things, especially the children, as the thought of selling or trading them off she finds appalling, so she gave her earrings."

"She could have traded that shawl."

"Mmm, I doubt a shawl is something someone could have possibly wanted."

"Yeah, Huzi."

"Well, Yuyuko traded a rat and some of her cooking for some fancy-shmancy stuff to put in her apartment."

"Yeah, well, people need and like food and good food is rare, as we are still reduced to ratburgers and dead stuff, like motorcycle kill."

"Yeah, and we've had to steal our stuff."

"But we don't have anything in which to barter, besides precious mementos."

"Yeah, well, we best keep those."

"Yuh-huh."

"But still, how on earth does a pair of earrings make for goods and successfuls trade?"

"I'm not really sure on that, Huzi."

"I guess the person who offered the trade thought the earrings were that valuable."

* * *

"Alright, children, time to arise and look at the sunshine."


	5. Interesting Day

Every morning, almost at the crack of dawn, Ren wakes us up. At least, he doesn't a can and a ladle but he does clap his hands. He always wakes us up just when breakfast starts and then he goes down the hall, to the door at the end, to wake up Yukari, who sleeps on the second level in this apartment in two-story room. If I had it my way, I would sleep the rest of the day but he and Ran are so damn insistent. I tried not to wake up but he really wasn't fooled and picked me up and placed me in wheelchair anyway, saying, "You wouldn't wish to miss breakfast, would you? Of course not." He wheels me into the dining room so we can eat. Everyday, it is the same old thing, usually eggs and rat sausage, with a piece of apple. After breakfast, we start our lessons and when we are finished we go about business.

As we were about her business, Sakuya the brat decided to pitch to a fit and say, "I want to be a normal kid and do things normal kids do." Of course, it surprised us all. I blinked and said, "But, Sakuya, we are normal kids."

She narrowed her eyes and said, "No we're not!"

Reimu blinked and asked, "How?"

"I'll you tell you how! For one, we can't go to school and we are eating rat sausages, what is normal about that?"

"Lots of kids don't go to school and some kids don't eat anything."

"And some kids are traded for stuff."

"Yeah, well, I want to go to school and not eat ratburgers."

"I like ratburgers."

"Reimu, you eat anything in which it is you pick up, so ratburgers are not a far cry from that."

"Well-"

As we were talking, we found Ran standing over us, listening to everything we had said. She looked at Sakuya and said, "Something tells me you don't adjust too well to changes and that is why you've been acting the way you do but I say what I have to say. Listen, the reasons we don't take you to school are because there aren't that many and they all aren't very safe, along with the fact that you're not going to be learning too much of anything as the teachers are more like students, so, in simple terms, we don't as to better provide, and the reason we eat ratburgers or whatever is because that is what is available to us. Food is scarce and we have to make the most of it. I'm sorry if that is how you feel." After that, Ran left us alone and Sakuya cried. That shut her up for a while and she became much nicer.

* * *

"Reimu got out."


	6. Reimu Got Out

"Hewwo, Yuuka, have you seen Weimu?" was what Chen had greeted me with. Naturally, I was confused and told her Reimu should be inside, to which she said, "Weww, she's not." I wanted to ask Chen if she was sure, to which I refrained and figured something had to be wrong. Ducks very seldom let the kids out and is especially watchful over Reimu. I walked over to their apartment and asked, "What's happened?" to which Winston, responded, "Reimu got out." I was confused even more and asked, "How?" and he told me he didn't know. With the children on leashes, Ducks searched the entire floor for the little dear, until she came to a conclusion that she had gone down the stairs, somehow. Crumbs! She was always a persistent child and seemed to be determined to go somewhere but, where to? Probably outside, I'm sure, as they very seldom get to.

We went down the stairs, to the third floor. We haven't found her and continued looking until found her hair ribbon, leading for us to search for her further, taking us outside. We had found her in Suika's arms and promptly inquired, to which she said, "I told those motherfuckers I'd bury 'em if they ask me to trade Reimu for beers or visa versa, whatever the hell, so I beat the living shit out of 'em and took Reimu back and I got free beer." I asked what it was she was doing outside, to which Suika said, "Oh lay off of my ass, will ya? I was watching her every move and she just simply had a little fun was all, like eating a millipede, dodging bullets in a gunfight, tripping a landmine, petting dogs, chasing a butterfly, and then having some motherfuckers pick her up and told me if I wanted her back I was to trade her for beer, the end result of which is what you see now." Reimu seemed to be virtually unfazed but she was amused and was laughing enthusiastically about her little adventure. Needless to say, Ducks wasn't and asked if she should keep Reimu tied to her apron strings.

* * *

"Koishi, my little sister, you're injured!"

* * *

**Author's Note: **In case you are curious as to why Chen sounds like Elmer Fudd it is because she has speech impediment that come from brain damage (which left her unable speak, up until a certain point in time) during the events of Gensokyo 20XXIV and the reason as to why we don't read her speaking like that during the previous chapter in which she narrates, it is because she is talking from her POV, ergo, to her she sounds normal, whereas to us, and the others she sounds like that. If you have any questions, feel free to PM and I will get back to you.

-Amoridere


	7. Contemplations I: Suffering or Mercy

Sometimes, Koishi wanders about the place but, this time, she came home and, as she wrapped her arms around me, I had noticed she was bleeding. She collapsed in my arms and I hurried her over to Kaguya. It was over three hours and Kaguya came out with a somber look on her face. She summoned everyone else into the hall and said, "I am sorry I have disturbed you all at such short notice but I am sad to inform you that I have done all I really could and it may be a matter of time before Koishi passes away and it hard to say how long she will survive." I was in tears and sobbed hysterically, before bringing her back to my apartment and letting her sleep in her bed. I closed the curtains and turned off the lights. She never could arise out of bed and I had given her the painkillers Kaguya has prescribed.

As I had given her those painkillers, I started to feel horrible. She was already dying and I had selfishly been trying to end her life sooner because I couldn't take it. I was murdering my sister and, as a result, I was murdering myself. After that, I stop giving her the pills, leaving her to suffer in pain. I couldn't bear to watch her suffer but, at the same time, I couldn't face the thought of killing my sister. She was my only family, the only thing I have left, and if she died, then I'll be alone but to allow her to live in this state would be allowing her to suffer.

I knew not really what to do. Should I let her suffer or should I take her life as an act of mercy?

* * *

"Still blind?"

"Yes, dumbass."


	8. The Musings of a Blind Hermit

My sight has yet to return and I have been like this for quite some time. As far as I know, medicine in these times are far from perfect, so I haven't sought out any sort of treatment for my blindness. At least, I don't live alone, as I am roommates with Kosuzu, Tenshie, and Kisume, so life with blindness isn't all that difficult, not for me anyway. I live rather comfortably, doing things like embroidering or cleaning, neither of which are very hard to do, or listening to records on the record player. If I need some errands run, then I'll Kisume out for it, as Kosuzu's a little girl and Tenshie is usually busy with her own things, whatever the hell they are. On a note, I am curious as to see what everyone else is up to but, on the other hand, I am not too familiar with this floor or anything that isn't this apartment. I suppose, one day, I will familiarize myself with outside.

Well, surprise, surprise, Chen came over to invite me to dinner.

* * *

"Oh, you've invited someone for dinner. Chen, sweetheart, you have to remember to tell someone you're inviting someone for dinner."


	9. Miko's Visit

Surprises most certainly come and they certainly had as Chen had invited someone for dinner, greeting us with a, "Hey guys, I invited someone ovew fow dinnew!" To much surprise it was Miko and we haven't seen her very much since she had first moved in. Of course, I do wish Chen had told us we were going to have someone over for dinner. Nevertheless, we welcomed her, happy to have a visitor. She had been quiet, only asking about our affairs, speaking seldom of her own, except that she normally doesn't get out much, to which Reimu naturally said, "Neither do I, except that one time." It prompted Miko to strike up a conversation with her and it seemed to be rather interesting, especially since Reimu thought it be fit to converse with her eyes closed.

As the two were talking, Chen, being a tad inappropriate, asked, "Hey, Miko, do you want to heaw about the time Wan and Wen did the two-beast?" Ran shot a glance at her said, "No, Chen, no one wants to hear about that!" She waved her off and continued on her with story before I cut her off saying, "Chen, we've talked about you making inappropriate dinner conversation." Miko blinked and said, "No need to tell me, I am all too familiar with that story, as I could hear it from four doors away." Ran and Ren were easily embarrassed and asked to pardon themselves, Miko reassuring them, "No need to be embarrassed, you're in love and it was after you two were wedded."

As the night dragged on, she did ask to stay, saying she and Reimu had much to talk about. We agreed she was to stay the night but she'll have to share with the children, not that she or they really minded. She told them stories and talked with them. She left the next day, promising to visit again, stating she enjoyed her visit."

* * *

"Nitori, Nitori! What're ya doin' in there?"


	10. Nitori's Project

So far, since we moved in, I have always been scrounging up useful parts to create things that I hope to be of some aid. As of recently, I have been making Chen a new wheelchair, so she can get around better and not have to be cooped up indoors when Ran does go out with the children. She would be so happy and I am almost finished with it. I know Ran wouldn't mind as a going outside could be good for her, as being cooped up seemed to have driven a few of them crazy. Hopefully, she's overcome her fear of going outside but, then again, she probably had, being that she had gone outside without panicking. Of course, I also remembered that people don't hesitate to attack those in wheelchairs, so I made it with defense mechanisms to protect her, all while being disguised as a simple wheelchair, albeit one that can travel by stairs, as well as fly.

I have worked countless days on it before finishing it and Chen was static, happy that she could go outside with Ran for every once in a while, as well as the fact that her wheelchair allowed her to go down the stairs.

* * *

"I want outside!"

"Weimu, you know fow a fact that she isn't going to wet you outside, not aftew that one time."


	11. The Way Things Are

I still want to go outside but I think I pissed Ran off, though, because of my little adventure. Suika didn't seem mad and told them I had fun and I did. Hmmph! I just want to play outside and that isn't a lot to ask, not for me, and outside was interesting. I'm not even allowed in the hall. I never did really ask why because "That is no good, Reimu, you have to mind what Ran says." Either way, I am going outside whether she likes that or not. Of course, the others might want to go outside, too.

I do remember telling Chen what I wanted to go outside and she said, "Weimu, you know fow a fact that she isn't going to wet you outside, not aftew that one time." Sakuya yawned and said, "Yeah, especially." I was upset and asked, "So?!"

"Weww, Wan says it is to keep us safe."

"Uh-huh."

"Didn't you guys ever want to go outside ONCE?!"

"Yeah, but Ran says we have to stay inside so something bad won't happen to us."

"Yes, that is why we have to stay inside and, if we had it any othew way, then we couwd go outside. It's just the way things awe. "

"Okay, then how come you guys don't have to be on a harness like I do when Ran cooks or are allowed to do things I am not allowed to do? 'xplain that!"

"It's just the way things are."

I don't like the way things are and just because they're the way things are doesn't make 'em right! Ran is wrong and I want to go outside but she always say no. Anywho, I wanted to do what I wanted to do and I did it. Of course, I broke a window and Ran got mad. She looked at me then the window than back at me and said, "Well, this is a first and I am rather surprised that YOU broke the window this time, rather than two drunks and a meth addict or a bird." She huffed and said, "Okay, I see how this goes. You decided to raise a bit of hell by breaking a window because you wanted to go outside. I know you do but I cannot allow you all outside to play because we love you and we don't want to see something unfavorable occur. When you're older and can protect yourselves, then then, maybe, but until then, you play inside and in the hallways. About the harness, well, I put you in that because I love you and I can't having you putting your hands into hot food. "

She sent me away, saying, "And, no, I wasn't mad when you got out."

* * *

"Alright, what do you want? I don't have all day."


	12. Landlady Yukari

Since I purchased the apartments with my earrings, I find myself being busier than usual, especially when dealing with tenants or trying to offer soiled doves a new life, as well as refuge, which in turn has the side-effects of taking up most of my time. Of course, I have to endure this as I am the one who chose to trade my amethyst earrings for this place. To a certain degree, I am seen as a person of high status, a person to be respected. When I enter the scene, people are quick to clear the path and drop everything. I cannot really say I am exactly proud of that, especially since madams are treated in a similar manner that I am. Honestly, I cannot seem to understand exactly what is so special about being a madam.

Every other day, I get tenants that often ask me to move in, trading whatever. Sometimes, I have to remind them of my policies in regards to trades in exchange for housing. When I am not doing anything, I am sitting in the lobby, putting my skewed white hair in a braid or checking records, smoking or adjusting my glasses in the process. Recently, I have acquired some bit of companionship in the form of a pug-PUG!-, who's taken up residence in my lobby, after I've unsuccessfully tried to be rid of it. Hopefully, Ran and Ren won't mind it, being kitsunes. At least, I have some company when I handle my landlady's business, so that does ease it up, though there is the problem of poop and pee that I gap away at every chance.

Sometimes, though, I wish it were easier but I guess I shall make do, as I am the one who traded my earrings for this place.

* * *

"Ran, dearest, you should rest."

"Can't, I've been up for approximately 101 hours."

"Indigo Flower, have you eaten or slept between those hours?"

"No."

"Okay, then you might want to eat first then go to bed, I'll take over things for you."

"But-"

"Now, now, time for dinner and then bedtime."


	13. Ren Keeps House

Sometimes, I worry about Ran, my beloved indigo flower, especially when she runs herself ragged. Naturally, upon having been told she hasn't eaten or slept in 101 hours, I insisted she eat something and then go to bed. She protested by quickly gave it up, as I was adamant she eat and sleep. After that, I took over, not that they minded, though Chen did take the time out to inform me of a list of Ran's chores, a few of which involve changing diapers and making sure no one drinks the milk in the fridge. Of course, that was always a chore because that really isn't milk someone who aren't fox pups should be drinking, as that is fox milk. To quell that problem, I put labels on them, explicitly marked **_"DON'T DRINK!"._** However, I had to keep Reimu out of the kitchen while I cook and I knew getting her into that harness wasn't going to be without a fight, so I quelled that problem by going out to get a baby gate to put in the kitchen doorway, though that wasn't without me losing my shoes. At least, she can't climb over it, as her legs have limited functionality, though that didn't stop her from shaking it.

After the children ate, diapers were changed, and lessons were taught, I went about keeping the apartment clean, making beds, sweeping and mopping the floor, and doing almost everything Ran does, I found myself exhausted by the time it was bedtime. Hopefully, Ran is actually well rested and will have a normal sleep cycle as well as meal cycle. In thinking of her, I remembered I had forgotten to eat.

* * *

_***BOOOOOM!***_

"What in blood hell was that?!"


	14. Yuuka's Musings: No Rest for the Wicked

I awoke to the early morning to a terrific thundering sound and then the sound something crashing. I blinked and initially thought Flannie had blown up another door but, as to be expected, it was Huzi making crystal meth. Of all things, why couldn't she have been a booze hound. Of course, Huzi seemed to have been looking for something to make her forget that event where she's had her shoes taken from her, so she's taken to becoming a meth addict. In these times, drugs and things run rampant and are much, much easier to obtain and there really isn't much that can be said or done. Many has resorted to...unethical methods to get what they need or want. Saddening really, but we all have to satisfy our thrills and get what we need. No rest for the wicked, I suppose. Times may be difficult but I suppose it would be good to look on the bright side, even if it be rubbish.

On a more honest note, Yuyuko has taken to owning a tavern, where she can serve booze and food. Naturally, people trade her anything to get food and or booze, explaining why it is she has such nice things. As for us, she is quick to give us things free of exchange. If she isn't doing things in her tavern, the which she runs either within her own flat or somewhere within the lower levels, she is a seamstress and she's made most of her clothes herself. Having a tavern and being a seamstress is much more honest than manufacturing drugs. As aforementioned, there isn't much of any rest for the wicked. However, on Huzi's note, I do hope she intends to sober up.

After being arose from my slumber in a rather impolite way, I stumbled out of bed and, whilst still in my bedclothes, I cautiously opened my door and peered down the hall, where I had seen Huzi thrown up across it. As aforementioned, I was not surprised by this as she, Kaguya, and Suika had a habit of playing rather foolish games that involved trying to swing into a window, so a meth-lab explosion isn't too far outside of that particular realm. After looking at her in befuddled confusion and amusement and watching her get up, I had gone back into my flat and went back to bed. I concluded on staying there for a while, as the excitement has tired me out.

* * *

"Shister..."


	15. Contemplations II: Koishi's Death

It been a little while and Koishi still hasn't died but her injuries haven't healed. She was always curled up in the fetal position, shivering and shaking in pain. Blood still stains her sheets and blankets. By this point, I concluded there was no use in allowing her to live this way. She was in pain and I could see that but, at the same time, I didn't want to murder my sister. I couldn't do it but I didn't wish to allow her to in suffering.

After some time, Koishi weakly grabbed hold of my sleeve and, as tears were falling from her eyes, uttered, in a baby's voice, "_Shister..."_ After about few seconds, her hand fell limp. I checked for a pulse but couldn't find one. She died. That was it, no more bleeding, no more suffering, and no more contemplation. She truly had died and this was it. I was alone now and I was at a lost for words. To a certain degree, I am happy that death had finally taken her in her pain, so I wouldn't have had to end her life myself, but, at the same time, I felt a great deal of misery towards what had occurred. As I mourned her, I felt her arms wrap around my shoulders before fading away.

Almost in a stupor, I put on a black dress, some makeup, black gloves, and a veil and proceeded to walk around the floor, informing everyone that Koishi had died. Two days later, we had her funeral and placed her cremated remains in an urn. Afterwards, I had contemplated on how long I was to remain alone, without my sister, the only thing I had left.

When Koishi had died, the contemplation on whether or not to end her life were gone but the contemplation on whether or not to continue with mine had come and remained.

* * *

"What's 'hurt'?"


	16. Innocence and Lunacy: What is hurt?

It had been a little while since Koishi had passed away and we, save Satori, are we recovering from such a tragic loss. However, I would find myself having to confront something from the past. That ability, that instinct, to respond to pain was removed from her, leaving her open to severe injuries, as well as self-harm. Naturally, this was cause for alarm as she often caused herself injury with any sharp implement, so we often make sure there aren't any within reach. However, that became more of a chore when we discovered our window was broken again. One of these days, Yukari will have Mokou's ass on that.

On the morning we discovered our window broken, we had noticed the glass on the floor but, along with it, we had noticed Reimu reaching for it. Reaching for her, Ren tried to intervene, saying, "Reimu, stop, you'll hurt yourself." She picked it up anyway, the glass pieces going into her hand, but that wasn't without giving him a rather confused look, before asking, "What's 'hurt'?" We didn't know how to or what to give, if not show, her an answer. Something in her mind didn't register what "hurt" was or even the fact that she was injured from the glass pieces sticking out of her clenched hand. With silence, I removed her from the glass and carried her to the bathroom so her wounds could be treated.

She wouldn't stop asking what "hurt" was and we tried to ignore it but that put us at a disadvantage as she's turned to self-harm. We couldn't answer because she wouldn't be able to make sense of it and the fact that it could potentially sever any sorts of bonds we have with her, as well as the fact it worsen any mental problems she has. However, in denying her the answer she wanted, we opened the gateway to self-harm. If we denied her that, then she will take to harming someone else, as we denied her harming herself. Ultimately, we were forced to isolate her, something she absolutely despised and gave noisy and violent protest to. She was giving us hell over a question we cannot answer. Deep within, the truth was torturing us as well, especially Yukari because of very much she knew.

After some time, she realized we weren't going to tell her so she stopped asking and allowed her wounds to heal. She went back to the way she was, with small periods of lunacy here and there. I expected it so, as she's gone through so much and her very innocence betrayed her. As for her and the rest of the children, we can only hope they won't fall victims to their own madness, the very madness that their innocence will have pushed them into. We can only hope to protect them but how much can we protect them from.

* * *

"Miss Satori?"


	17. Yet so Full of Pain

I went to check on Satori, after she hasn't been seen outside of her apartment for in a while. Alas, I had found her but I had found her despondent and insane, driven mad by her own grief. Naturally, I figured a bit of company could be good for her, as she's spent most of her time alone. When she saw me, she mustered enough sanity to say, "Oh, hello, Ren, I didn't know you were visiting." With Koishi passed away, she has been nothing but alone and withdrawn, something Koishi wouldn't have wanted. In trying to reach out, I invited her over to eat with us, something she was rather shocked at but did accept.

Straightening herself up, she got out of her chair and weakly took my hand, allowing me to lead her back to our apartment. She took her seat amongst the children and quietly ate. It seemed they didn't really notice her, save Reimu, who seemed happy that she was there. Without any sort of hesitance and while holding onto the table, she made her way over to Satori, humming a little tune. The tune in question was song that isn't of any comprehensible language, something that we dubbed, "Reimu's Lullaby", and she was humming it.

When she was fairly close to Satori, she walked over a few steps, before falling over. Initially, we thought to help her up but something within us kept us restrained. With struggle, she managed to pick herself up, uttering only gibberish or something rather close to baby talk, the very language she was speaking up until she had finally regained comprehensive speech. It took us about a few minutes to realize that she was aware of Satori's abilities to read minds, so it would make sense as to why she would revert back to her primitive language. Naturally, Satori broke into tears, hurrying over towards her to cradle her in her arms. By observation, we knew Reimu merely wanted to comfort her of her grief for someone either of them missed.

If I remember, Koishi was also Reimu's playmate, someone she loved, just like she did everyone else. She may not have understood death but she did understand, to a certain degree, the pain of someone loved not being there anymore or at least seem to. Both suffering from lunacy and yet so full of pain. Life is funny that way, especially when it gives and takes away so much, bringing joy, as well as suffering within its wake. It's even funnier that when something dies, something else can to live. In this case, when Satori was driven mad by her grief, a near maddened Reimu goes to comfort her. Even though she was indeed age-regressed, some part of her from before still remained.

Later on, afterwards, Satori later overcame her grief, like Koishi will have wanted, giving her spirit the peace needed to be at ease.

* * *

"Ah, helping Ran-mommie with her chores?"


	18. Ah, helping Ran-mommie with her chores?

To much surprise, Chen decided to help me with my chores. It was as surprising as it was amusing, being that normally she is the one being helped, mostly with changing her diapers (something she can't do herself), but this time it is the other way around. She started off by handing me the dishes to wash and giving the rag in which to dry them off with. When I had gone down the hall to hang the clothes to dry, she carried a basket of sopping wet clothes and gave me the clothespins to hang them. She spent the entire day helping me with what it is I usually needed done. As she was helping me, I had realized she was doing so she could spend time with me, something that, due to circumstance, very seldom happens, so she decided she would spend time with me this way by doing something the other children will have dreaded doing (trying to get them to do something will elicit complaints).

That night, when I was tucking her in, she kissed me on the face, saying, "Goodnight, Ran-mommie."

* * *

" S'nae stay here?"

"Yes, sweetheart, Sanae stays here."


	19. Sakuya and Taddie

According to Ran, Sanae, or, as we call her,Tadpole ("Taddie" for short), was coming to stay with us because Suwako was going away for awhile and couldn't bring her with, so she left her with us and Pug (Yukari's dog, she stays upstairs sometimes). Sanae didn't really seem to care as she was very used to us and hasn't seen us in awhile. According to Suwako, she is two years old and weighs twenty pounds. She also left a list of things that she likes, doesn't like, and proper instructions on how to take care of her.

When Suwako left her with us, she didn't cry and was quiet at first but, then she laughed and ran around, wanting to play. Of course, she would run into walls and anyone she encountered. It seemed Taddie was full of energy and she didn't really seem to sit still for anything, except when watching intently at something, like Reimu or whatever was playing on television. Frankly, I don't like Taddie being here at all and she is so annoying, especially when she takes my rice crackers and eats 'em or pokes me in the eye.

One night, when Ren, Ran, Pug, and Yukari were asleep, I talked about Taddie to Chen, Maribel, Renko, Marisa, and Alice. "I want Taddie to go back to her apartment."

"Well, she can't, ze, because Suwako will be gone a long time." said Marisa, scratching at her dandelion hair

"Uh-huh, and, besides, it's fun having Tadpole around." said Maribel.

"It's not that bad having her around, it's just like a smaller Reimu." Renko said, yawning.

"And Suwako might not come back for a really long time." Alice said, falling asleep.

"Mmm, it'll be like having a little sister, even though I have more than a few." Chen said, opening her eyes for a second.

"Well, it's not!"

"Well, she has only been here for about a couple of days and we have to get used to her."

"Uh-huh, da ze..."

As I was falling asleep, Sanae, who seemed to be awake, walked over to me and kissed me on the eye. I guess living with Taddie won't be so bad after all.

* * *

"Not now, Remilia."

"You should really stop it with those."

"Oh no, of course not, Remilia, I want to be fancy like Yukari and fancy people smoke."


	20. An Outsider's View

There is something for the like of me I cannot grasp and that would be why smoking such nauseous things would be glamorous. Yukari only smokes those things out of stress of being landlady, which typical involves having to deal with crummy tenants and the fact that she is trying her very hardest to provide. To an outsider's view, Yukari is posh and that is only because she owns an apartment building. Of course, in these times, I see why that would be considered posh or something of the sort but I don't think cigarettes would considered apart of that, then again, they are a commodity, that people either trade things or fight for and Flandre is impressionable, so, to a certain degree, I do see why it is she would think that. On the other hand, we share an apartment together and my human-turned youkai lungs cannot tolerate that nauseous smoke.

Every day, she smokes those things and even goes outside with them to smoke them in front of other people, who stare at her in awe, almost as if she were something alien. To me, she was being rather ridiculous but, to them, she was flaunting her wealth, showing them how fancy she was, just like that little girl in one of those old movies who used to flaunt her white fur coat or her curls. As I would watch her, I often wondered if I, too, had wealth in which to flaunt. Naturally, after living in modest luxury and being minus servants, I concluded that I preferred modest wealth to abundant wealth, so to me I am already flaunting it because I live in it.

As soon as the outsiders see Yukari, they drop everything and clear the path, almost as if she were a queen, not even giving her the slightest ounce of trouble. When they see Flandre smoke, they stare at her and watch her with awe. When they see Ran, they quickly run away, however, that is probably because she is a scarred kitsune and people reverted back to long thought to be vanished superstitious beliefs relating to either of the two or it is because, she, like everyone else, won't hesitate to take a life if need be. On the other hand, they watch her with curiosity and fearful reverence. When they see Yuyuko, they run up to her begging for beer and burgers or calling her "Mama" or "Madame Saigyouji". When they see Yuuka, they look at her because of how pretty she looks in her makeup and the women envy her. When they see Satori, they cringe and be still, barely breathing and their faces white. When they see Kaguya, they quickly request her help.

Strangely, when they see Reimu, they look at her with the hostility of a rabid beast, almost as if they want her very existence to be erased from the world for reasons that say unsaid because she is Yukari's child and doing harm to her will bring about her wrath. It always puzzled me as to why they looked at her like that. _"Why so much hostility towards a child?"_ I would always ask myself. I couldn't fathom it, as children are such innocent creatures and I, too, virtually am a child. Reimu hasn't done them any harm and yet they want her dead. I wonder if it has something do with the fact that she doesn't fear and approaches everything boldly. If it does, then that is really no reason to fear her, as she is very friendly and is more than willing to get along with and make friends with everyone and everything, not all looking to do harm. Rather, I wonder if it has something to do with the fact that she doesn't suffer and _adores_ this world for what it is. If anything, her inability to fear is probably what helps her survive in this world but, at the same times, it maddens her.

* * *

"Now, now, Mother In-Law, you must have some time to rest, surely one day away from your duties wouldn't hurt."


	21. Yukari's Day Off

My dutiful son-in law strikes again and tells me I should rest and have a day away from work and that he'll handle it, knowing exactly what it is he is doing, after having observed what it is I do. When Ren is insistent on something, it is usually best to agree, not that there will be a problem, as he could convince even Ran to his point of view without much argument. For once, I agreed knowing he would persist if I didn't. Naturally, I didn't know how to spend this day, so I concluded on sleeping, until he came back into my room, saying, "Come on, you cannot spend most of your time asleep. Maybe interact with the children?" I shrugged but immediately figured it would make them happy, after all, I had been spending most of my time working.

I rubbed my eyes, braided my hair, threw on a dress and shawl, lumbered down the stairs, grabbed my basket of knitting supplies, and out of the door. I lumbered through the hall and into the living room. I made my way over to the couch, sat down, and found myself greeted by Sanae and Pug, the former of which promptly climbed into my lap, making herself comfortable, and the latter of which making her place at my feet. As to be expected, the children did indeed enjoy my presence, though Sanae was more inclined to follow me around.

We mostly spent the day together. Sleeping, eating, playing, laughing, watching movies, and whatever else we mostly do to pass time. After that day, I had remembered specifically to take days off from my duties.

* * *

"I betcha Ran's pregnant!"

"Okay, what is it you have to bet?"

"Fish crackers."

"Okay, deal."


	22. Fish Crackers

Ran-mommie seems to have put on weight, leading for Sakuya to think she is pregnant, again. Of course, I doubted what she said because Ran had babies not that long ago, so she couldn't be pregnant again but I let Sakuya have her way because I want fish crackers that Sakuya has stashed away. If Ran isn't pregnant, then I win and I get fish crackers and Sakuya has to change Taddie's diapers for a week and we all know Taddie's diapers are way stinkier than mine and Reimu's combined. Oh, this will be fun and I am going to enjoy every last bit of this.

Throughout the day, we followed Ran-mommie around, to try to get a look at her belly, bosoms, and bottom, to see if she had gotten rounder and wider. Of course, that was rather hard as she's always had bigger hips than Yukari-bāchan, as she is more or less kind of pear or hourglass, more or less both. After a little while of the day, we finally managed to get a good look at her and, as we were looking at her, she said, "Oh, I see what you two are doing. You're trying to see if I'm pregnant but I assure you I am not, actually, I just put on a little weight." She laughed and told us how funny she thought that was, saying it wasn't the first time.

Needless to say, I won the bet and Sakuya had to give up her fish crackers and change Taddie's diapers.

* * *

"Say what you will, Huzi, I am happy Yukari brought Reisin back for me, even if she be a child."


	23. Lunatic Friendship

I am thankful that Yukari sacrificed some of her strength to bend the borders of time to bring back Udonge for me. She couldn't bring back Eirin or Keine but she did do me a kindness by bringing back Udongein. She was rather cheerful but seemed to have a hitting problem, something I hoped wouldn't put her at odds with Reimu, who has similar issues. That didn't but she seemed to befriend her in that odd way. Of course, it was befitting that way in that Udongein was someone who can cause lunacy, something that Reimu is suffering from the early onsets of.

Naturally, the two made friends by hitting, only Reimu threw the first hit and Reisin responded. Reisin was kind of wild sort but a gaze into her eyes made her calm down and flop onto her stomach, resolving whatever conflict was there. The two spent about an hour looking at each other, their eyes never looking away from one another's. After looking at each other, being locked in some sort of stare-down, they went about their own business before engaging in playful behavior, Reisin, it seems found an equal.

If I were asked, I would say I find their lunatic friendship to be a curiosity.

* * *

"Uh, Wan-mommie, Weimu got out again and I don't think she came back wight."


	24. Rodenticide and Reimu: A Horrible Ordeal

To much dread, Reimu managed to get out and it was by the heavens that she didn't leave the apartment building, however, she did go somewhere and, to further upset, she had gotten into something she shouldn't, poisoning herself, as she wasn't acting quite herself and was found laying on her side, barely conscious. When we found her like that, we didn't know what to do, as that has never happened before but we knew for a fact that she wasn't going to survive if we didn't do _something_ to purge whatever poison there was in her body and we had to act fast.

We were panicky because this was far different from the time with the flowers and said time didn't involve alarming symptoms, none like these. After we barely managed to arouse her, we had tried to get her vomit, something that couldn't be done, as we had later found out the poison managed to seep into her blood. Knowing that, we found it was beyond our control, so we took her over to Kaguya and begged her to help us. She sighed and said, "Since the poison is now in her blood, that is going to require extracting some of her blood to get it out but that won't be without losing blood, so she'll require blood to be placed into her afterwards."

For once, during a rather crucial moment, it seemed Reimu actually seemed to be afraid, to show fear, and asked, in shaking voice and as her eyes filled with tears, "Ran, am I dying?" I held her hand as a way of comforting her and she held on it so tightly. Right now this was a time of life and death and even the youngest of the children knew it. Not knowing what else to do and eliciting shock, I shouted, "Use my blood!" After almost leading to her death, I couldn't allow her to die and had to try something to save her. Kaguya's lip trembled and she said, "That may not be without killing her, as your blood is different from hers might be." I didn't care and disregarded what she said, saying, "Time is of the essence and there isn't much that can be done, as she could die en route to a hospital, which may not even know how to deal with what has happened, so why not take the risk?"

We were going back and forth, until Chen, holding out her arm, said, "Take my bwood, then, if Wan-mommie's won't wowk." Within about three, seconds, everyone held out their arms and asked for their blood to be taken, for Reimu's sake. Seeing no other way around it, she relented, extracted some of my blood, extracted some of Reimu's poisoned blood, and then transferred the blood that was to be placed into her body. Once the procedure was over, she said, "Let's leave it to fate, as there really isn't much more that can be done." As we had resigned ourselves to the possible worse, Mokou walked in, black rings under her eyes, and mentioned something about jar of rodenticide, mentioning that one of them was empty. Our eyes widened and it have become apparent that Reimu had consumed a jar of rat poison.

In hearing her, I asked her what kind to which she answered, "The one-dose kill kind. If there is more you wanna know, well, Yukari just evicted someone for that kind of rat poison and for not taking proper safety measures to prevent unfortunate things from happenin'." We became even more fearful in that Reimu had probably eaten more than enough to kill at least ten if not one hundred rats, so, even with the treatment, she could very well die. That place us at odds as to how we were going to break the news to Yukari, knowing that it would best to tell the truth, nothing else but nothing more. We brought her back to our apartment and rested her on the couch. It seems we didn't have to tell Yukari because she didn't come upstairs, only Pug did.

For over a few days, Reimu didn't awake but, through some miracle or another, pulled through. She didn't come back the same, though, she still didn't fear anything and still suffered from her mental problems. She was rather apathetic but then she slowly came back, only she seemed to have lost some of her sight, as she seemed not to be able to see very well, and suffered occasionally from seizures. According to Kaguya, she shouldn't be able to eat due to that but she could. Her recovery from the whole ordeal would be a long one but it was far better than her being dead.

In the meantime, Yukari decided to modify her policies again, especially in relation to rodenticide to prevent something like this from happening again. On the note of Kaguya, she was studying to make antidotes and medicines, something that could do good.

* * *

"Da ze!"


	25. Marisa and Reimu

It's kinda weird playing with Reimu, ever since that rat poison thing, then again, how on earth do I play with someone who usually has their eyes closed? According to Mommy, she can see but not very good, so, basically, she is pretty much blind. I wonder if Kaguya will make some medicine that will help her see again, then it won't be so weird playing with her. I think I can get used to it, as she is still Reimu, except she can't really see really well, though that never stops her from hitting us. I usually hit her back, something that she doesn't even give a, "Fuck off!" to. What the hell?

She would often walk around, touching things and faces. She still puts things in her mouth even 'cos she didn't learn the first time. Sometimes, she sniffs and hears new things, followin' em. However, that brought her into that room we usually don't go into because we can't stay quiet. Of course, today, Mommy was in there, like she normally is, but Reimu didn't know that and she went in there anyway. Mommy was surprised that Reimu was in there this time but didn't seem to mind, sayin', "Well, you'll see them anyway." She was showing her the new babies and she seemed to be happy, laughing a little. I guess she doesn't need to see with her eyes too much after all.

Maybe she sees in other ways and maybe it won't be so weird playing with her, after all. Actually, it is kinda nice.

* * *

"Truth or dare?"

"Dare!"

"Okay, I dare you to put on Ran's lipstick."


	26. Playing Dressup

Oh, I always like a good game of truth or dare, especially when it involves make up, like Ran's lipstick. Usually, Ran doesn't wear makeup, except she did that one time, when she and Ren got married, and she looked pretty. It was Chen that dared one of us to put on Ran's lipstick and it was me. I was so happy, to tell the truth. When Ran was in the kitchen and while Reimu was asleep, I snuck into their room, walked over to the dresser, and grabbed the lipstick container. I put it on the exact way that I have seen Ran do it. After putting on her lipstick I thought I would look prettier if I put on some more of her makeup and I did. Of course, I was caught doing that because Ran was standing right behind me.

She wasn't mad or anything but she did look at me and her eyes seem to much bigger than what they would be. She blinked and said, "I see you are playing dress up and truth or dare but at least ask me first." She walked out of the room. I at first I thought she would be mad but she wasn't. Apparently, she did this when she was young.

* * *

"What is that, Ren?"

"Canned food."

"Is it dog food again?"

"No, its regular food."


	27. Canned Food

I can't name the last time we have had canned food, as it had been so long and the cans from said canned food we use as cooking pots, well some of them anyway. Naturally, I thought it was really special to have something in a can that isn't dog food, even if most of it is bread and some kind of meat. The children, on the other hand, we delighted and Reimu just wanted to chew on the cans. Of all the cans, only one of them was dog food and that was for Pug, of course, though that didn't seem to stop me from tasting it to figure out what kind it was.

In having this canned food, we thought to ration them, as we didn't really have that many and these are hard to come by. For once, we at something besides ratburgers and dog food.

* * *

"Now, now, Youmu, you'll like the other children and you do need someone to play with."


	28. Youmu

Youmu, someone we haven't seen in a while, came over to spend a little while with us. Yuyuko has been busy lately, so Youmu has to stay with us. When we had seen her, her first thought was to hide, as she was apparently very shy. Yuyuko bid us good-bee or something, saying she'll visit us soon. After hiding, she cried but then became more willing to play with us, happily joining us. According Ran-mommie, she's happy that she has someone to play with and is happy to be around other kids.

If she wasn't playing with us, she was napping or hiding or watching whatever we watching, sometimes trying to eat the tapes (she thinks they're chocolate bars for some reason). More often than not, we found her looking out of the window, content. I think having Youmu around is nice.

* * *

"Oh great, Huzi's doing that again!"


	29. Punting

Once again, Huzi went back to punting the crap out of people like that angry homeless guy from those short film on that thingy. The only thing she couldn't really punt was Ran but that didn't seem to stop her. I guess some things are just too heavy to punt as Ran put on weight. Either way, Ran was pissed, picked her up, carried her into Sattie's apartment, opened the window, and punted her through it. Of course, this isn't the first time she punted anyone, as she's done this before with Kaguya, every chance she's got and that one time she punted Cirno across the Field of the Sun.

Yesterday, she punted Ren across the street for no reason at all and, today, she punted Cirno into a building. Maybe it has something do with the new stuff she's been trying, like this stuff called coke. Yeah, some people just shouldn't do that. Of course, she stopped punting everything after Ran punted her again, except that was across town.

* * *

"Through these cloudy eyes of mine..."


	30. Through these cloudy eyes of mine

"Through these cloudy eyes of mine, I see the sunny sky and the pretty flowers

I see the world, as only I see

Even if it is really cloudy

It's still bright and sunny to mee~!

Even if I can barely see your face, it's okay

I still love you anyway

I love the world even through these cloudy eyes of mine~!"

* * *

"Outside!"

* * *

**Authoress' Note: **Heya there again, readers. If you are curious about this particular chapter, it is Reimu singing a little song that she's managed to compose, explaining the poem like format with the quotes. Naturally, I wrote this basically so we could get into her head a bit more in terms of her newfound visual impairments. If you are curious as to who she is singing it to, well, it would be prompt assumption she is singing that to whoever will hear.

-Amoridere.


	31. Outside, without being outside

For someone who sleeps and doesn't talk very often, Reimu seems to be pretty good at expressing her thoughts and, this time, she, like Porwigle and Youmu, wanted to go outside. She seemed to be rather insistent and I expected this so because she was endlessly curious, doubly so, since she her vision isn't very good. Of course, we couldn't let them outside because of the dangers and we've already had too close a call with the rat poison incident. Naturally, I started to ponder a way in which they could be let outside but at the same time be kept safe. Surely, there must be a spot in the apartment building where we can take the children to play outside.

In thinking, I realized we did have a spot somewhere on the roof, a platform of some sort, where the wall was rather high, too high for any child to attempt to climb it, and where it was rather sheltered, mesh screens, as well as protected having a chain-link fence right over the mesh screens. Surely, Ran, Winston, and Yukari won't mind and the children will have liked it. With Ducks' permission, I brought them to this area and, for once, they seemed sated, happily playing.

* * *

_Hmm, I wonder what sounds like that?_


	32. Music Box

Even though the world is cloudy and somewhat dark, I still know where things are and I do go them. Of course, I also go to whatever sounds, tastes, smells, or feels interesting. I like new sounds, tastes, and smells and touching, feel, new things. It's almost like seeing, only without my eyes. I guess this is how Chen was when she couldn't see, only, 'ccording to her, she didn't put things in her mouth.

Today, I heard something interesting and I decided to follow it, where it came from. Hearing it made my cloudy eyes sparkle, as I could feel 'em. It was a new sound, so I went to the sound. I wanted to find what was making the interesting sound and get to know what it was. Hopefully, Ran won't mind, though she usually tends to keep me in the apartment. Feeling around and listening, I made it to the door and then I opened it. I listened for the sound and spent all day looking for it, until I came into someone else's apartment. It was where the sound was. I felt around until I felt something interesting. Didn't know what it was, until I heard someone's voice. It was Miko's and she said, "I see you've come to visit and, Reimu, you're touching a music box."

She picked me up and told me how a music box works. I thought it was interesting.

* * *

"1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8..."


	33. Sakuya, Math Games, and Seeing Reimu

According to Ran, we have been getting very good at mathemetics and counting. Of course, we have, as she is a rather stern teacher, who is really good at math. Sometimes, we would play little counting games, usually involving multiplication. However, we really couldn't guess what 6x20 was and Ran stated that we really wouldn't know as we are too young to know but she did explain she would teach us that when we were older. Weirdly, Reimu knew and she sleeps a lot. Apparently, she counts in her sleep and the answer to 6x20 was 120.

Sometimes, we would sit down after our math lessons and try to count to 198. She encouraged us to do that, as it helped to learn. When we got stuck, we had to try to figure that out, the missing number. When I did find it out, someone else would yell it out. I always hated that, especially when sleepyhead Reimu, Taddie, or Muh said it, and that is mostly because Reimu sleeps a lot and is barely even awake for our lessons, also the fact that she cannot even see, and Taddie and Muh are like two years old and they don't even know anything 'bout math! Of course, Ran always tells me that we all start learning as babies and that Sleepblind doesn't need to see in order to learn.

I let the Taddie and Muh thing go but I told Sleepyblind that she won't have any teeth if she continues yelling out my answers. She remembered to give me knuckle sandwich for that, saying, "If you care so much about me yelling out 'your' answers, then yell them out before I can say anything." I remembered not to hit her back because she would throw something at me and they would have my ass for that. When we started a multiplication game, Sleepyblind still yelled them out. I remembered to bring that to Ran.

When I did, she said, "Well, Sakuya, sweetheart, Reimu simply wants to play, too, after all, it is a game for everyone to play, and you shouldn't really be upset with her for yelling out your answers because you didn't say them. Yes, it frustrates you, of course it would, but, listen, as you know, she cannot see very well and is old enough to know how different she is from everyone else, something she doesn't want to be reminded of. Think about it, how would you feel if you were reminded of being different from everyone else? I'm pretty sure you wouldn't like it, would you?"

"No."

"See? You wouldn't and that is how Reimu feels to some degree. Look, there's Chen. We know she requires a wheelchair to get around but we see her, Chen, not her wheelchair. Yes, Reimu has poor sight, of course, but we must learn to see her, Reimu, and not her blindness. Now, I'm not saying it was right for her to call out your answer and neither was it wrong but it is her way of saying she learns just the way you do and she only wanted to play along with everyone."

After that, I realized I shouldn't have been mad at her and that I should probably try seeing Reimu instead of Sleepyblind.

* * *

"Son-in law?"

"Yes?"

"You never told us you have had relatives and they are here to see you."


	34. Ren's Relatives

To my surprise, my relatives decided to seek me out. I haven't seen them in a while and I cannot really say that I have missed them (save my really old father, as I have very fond memories of him) , due my being the runt. At the same time, I am also surprised to know they are still around. Naturally, whatever sort of annoyance I have with them I managed to shove aside and maintain patience, being polite enough to greet them, introducing them to mother-in-law, saying, "Well, I see you have met Mother-In Law, Yukari, and she is a very kind and wise lady. She's also the landlady and you aren't allowed to trade certain things to live here."

I allowed them to follow me back to the apartment. Of course, the door was open and Reimu was sitting in the hallway, her nose to the air. She was sniffing, having detected a new scents. Opening her dimish eyes, she turned to us, saying, "Hi." She managed to get to her feet and walk over to us, before flopping down on her rear end with a resounding thud.

Petting her on the head, I said, "This is Reimu. She is terribly sweet but she is also crippled and near blind, as well as having a few quirks and 'interesting' is her favorite word. She usually sleeps a lot, though, this time, she is awake" Sniffing, she turned to my relatives and said, "You smell interesting, especially, you and you!" She pointed to my fat brother, Shibo, and then my sister, Kinko. Kinko usually smelled like flowers and Shibo, apparently, smells like he sleeps in pee and gym socks. Either way, Reimu thought they smelled rather interesting but, then again, she thought anything she hasn't smelled before to be interesting.

Picking Reimu up, I lead my relatives back into the apartment, introducing them to the children one by one. I gestured towards Chen, who was sleeping in her wheelchair, saying," That's Chen, she's really funny, mouthy, playful, but really nice and sweet. She can't walk and needs wheelchair to get around." Chen briefly awoke, yawned, and went back to sleep, but that wasn't without her waving.

I gestured towards Marisa, who was picking her nose (again) saying, "That one is Marisa and she's adopted. She used to be human and we've had her since she was two or three. She is also really funny, kind, tomboyish, and can be pretty shy." Marisa stopped picking her nose and ran into the kitchen, apparently, after noticing my relatives.

Pointing towards Taddie, I said, "She's Sanae and she is two, though, we usually call her 'Tadpole' or 'Taddie' for short. She is very energetic, cheerful, and likes everyone and everything. We are looking after her whilst her guardian, Miss Suwako, is away." Taddie ran over to us, saying, " 'tato chip!"

Nodding my head towards Sakuya, I said, "The silver-haired one is Sakuya and, well, she is kind of spoiled but she tends to very nice and she likes having her hair curled and various other things." Sakuya crossed her arms and said, "I'm also the biggest and the oldest!"

I nodded my head towards Maribel and Renko, saying, "Those two are Maribel and Renko. Both are timid but, at the same time, are more than willing to talk if they have the chance. They usually like anything new." Seeing us made them both giggle and shake with bliss.

I pointed two fingers at Yume Ni and Anohana, saying, "Those are our two little ones, Yume Ni and Anohana and they are two and four. Yume Ni needs glasses to see because she is nearsighted and she reads a lot, and Anohana sleeps a lot and plays with Reimu, though most of the playing involves leading her around." Anohana awoke briefly to sneeze and Yume Ni, not looking up from her book, waved her ears.

I pointed one of my tails at Alice, saying, "Oh, that one is Alice. She likes dolls and playing pretend, having an active imagination." Alice stopped playing with her doll, walked over, and curtseyed, before going back to what she was doing. I pointed another one of my tails at Youmu, saying, "That is Youmu and we're looking after her for Miss Yuyuko. She is like a cuddlebug and usually says 'Muh', so that is her nickname because that is all she usually says." Youmu naturally looked at us and asked, "Muh?"

I thusly explained that there were other children but they are very little and we would like to keep them in a rather stable enviroment and that we'll let them out of it when they are ready. After that, they inquired on whether or not I was married, to which I responded, "Yes, actually, and she isn't that far away." Blinking her sleepy eyes and as Marisa clung to her, she walked out of the kitchen, smiled sweetly, and, while bowing, said, "Hello there, you must be Ren's siblings and his father, I am Ran, his wife." Naturally, my father said, "She's pretty and quite a lady." She thanked my father for the compliment and excused herself to go and rest.

As to be expected, my father went right to arguing with my oldest brother Baka. According to the argument, Baka didn't marry or, otherwise, meet what my father called a respectable girl and that he picked paintbrush-like ("paintbrush" in that she was really thin aside from her tail), selfish, greedy, foul-tongued, and bitchy kitsune, who eats almost all of their food and allows him to pretty much starve, while she tries to fill out her paintbrush like figure, while I had picked a kind, caring, gentle, sweethearted, be it fragile, full-figured kitsune to marry, someone he calls a respectable girl. Of course, he did state that if Baka was going to fall in love with a paintbrush, then at least marry a nice one.

To be honest, I found the argument to be amusing, as did the children, Marisa saying, "Baka married a paintbrush! Baka married a paintbrush!" I never really did think about why he was named that but, then again, that was the only thing he seemed to respond to so the name stuck, though I often wondered if it had something to with the fact he doesn't seem to be very finally finished their argument, after climbed into my father's lap, making herself comfortable there.

They opted to stay for dinner, something naturally we didn't veto. We caught up on what each other has missed and had an overall pleasant conversation.

By the end of the day, it felt good to see my relatives and I do hope they intend to visit soon.

(^_^)

* * *

"You dumbass, I told you NOT to leave to the door open."


	35. Dammit Reimu!

Dammit! I told 'em not to leave the door open but only Kaguya seemed to remember and Huzi was too incoherant to even think. As I can see, that lead to one thing and that involved Reimu drinking something out of one of the bottles, though at least she sniffed it first, and reverted her to a toddler, though at least she could still talk, actually, the first thing she said was, "Shit! Well, I fucked up again." Of course, she weren't the only one to drink that, 'cause Maribel, Renko, Marisa, and Alice drank it, too, the only difference being was that they only drank it because it looked sodie pop, which it actually does. All five of them could talk and did, though what they said when they glanced at Reimu was , "Dammit Reimu!"

When I showed 'em to Ran, her natural response was, "Let me guess, they got into something they shouldn't."

I blinked and answered, "Yeah."

"Mmmkay, I would like to the know the story then."

"Well, it went like this. Reimu came in here and Mokou didn't leave the closet door shut and, since we all know Reimu can't see she sniffed it and thought about drinking it to taste and it ended it with that. As for the other kids they thought it was sodie pop. They can still talk and Reimu is still blind and crippled but she can talk, too.

"Is there an antidote?"

"Dunno."

"Okay, where's Kaguya."

"Uh, dunno either."

"Okay, then, tell her if there is no antidote or, rather, if she didn't come up with one, tell her to kick Mokou's ass."

"Why?"

" 'Cause Mokou shouldn't be a stoner."

"Okay."

* * *

"Okay, um, hmm, what'll we do? 'Cause they're toddlers again."

"Well, they still maintain their intelligence and their mannerisms, meaning not everything was age-regressed, so I guess we treat them more or less like regular toddlers."


	36. Upsets and Curiousity

Well, we were left with more toddlers but, fortunately, they retained their intelligence and their much older child mannerisms, so we pretty much treated them more or less like toddlers, except Reimu, who, despite her age-regression age before being five or six and half, was already like that from the start, in that she does put things in her mouth, regardless if she knows it is edible or not, and is even more prone to doing so, as she is near blind, so she relies on other senses to explore. Either way, need this be said, that doesn't make it right.

However, in light of the incident, she seemed to catch on that everyone else, save Sakuya (who is indifferent), Chen, myself, the littler ones and Ren, were mad at her. Usually, when awake, she is very playful and outgoing, smiling almost all of the time, but this time she didn't seem to be, rather, she wanted to be left alone or mostly restricted herself to be being near Chen. If not in the apartment, she would go about sniffing or listening, trying the find the source of an "interesting" smell or sound, doing something that didn't involve anyone else. All the same, they seemed to exclude her, too. Ren did note he is rather surprised to see that Reimu isn't resorting to hitting or biting like she normally would when frustrated or wanting attention.

On the note of the others, they very much behaved like they will have if they were older, seemingly content minus Reimu. They played together and did almost everything together, leaving me to wonder if they have somehow managed to grasp the concept of cliques. In either of the two cases, I wasn't sure if whether or not to intervene.

After some time, about 72.5 hours and eighteen minutes, Chen was fed up and caught both of their attention, saying, "Okay, so you guys awe pissed at each othew, I get that, that's coow, except I wiked it bettew when you wouwd pway togethew." She was as fed up and I was wondering on what to say or do when listening to her, though Ren advised not to intervene, stating, "Its best we let them sort it out themselves."

Naturally, they were confused and asked her to elaborate, to which she said, "You guys used to pway togethew befowe that one time and, now, you won't because of that one time. Okay, that isn't fiwst time twoubwe happened and you guys chose to dwink it youwsewves because you thought it was soda and Weimu onwy dwank it to figuwe out what it was because she can't see. I can name pwenty of times you guys did something just 'cause you wewe cuwious. Mawisa, you put something in youw nose just because you wanted to see if you couwd stiww smeww if you did, once, and we had to fawm it out Wan, and that wasn't the fiwst time, eithew, a as mattew of fact, she towd you to stop putting things in youw nose. Mawibew, I wemembew when you got into Wen's toows and busted howes in the waww. Awice, thewe was that one time at Winnosuke's whewe you wanted to see how the tewevision wowked, fwom inside to out. Wwen, thewe was that one time you thought Wan waid eggs and twied to find out _exactwy_ whewe they came fwom. Eithew way, you did something just 'cause you wewe cuwious and decided to act on it and none of us got pissed at you fow it, though Wan was annoyed that you twied that, Wenko."

They looked at each other and asked where Reimu was, to which Chen pointed out, "Not in here, she's at Yuuka's apartment." before looking at me, saying, "She CAN open and unlock doors, you know." We went over to Yuuka's and found her contentedly laying on the floor, asleep. Of course, curiosity prompted Maribel to poke her, which ended with her being bitten. Reimu sat up, rubbed her eyes, and greeted us a with groggy, "Hello." She then lifted arms up, saying, "Up, Rannie." I complied, seeing that she was too sleepy to think of lifting herself. According to Yuuka, she had already eaten, so there was really nothing left except to put her to bed. Later on, Reimu did reconcile with the others.

* * *

"Muh?"


	37. Muh

Youmu likes to ask questions and she puts my hand onto things, asking, "Muh?" It's kinda fun, actually, 'cause Youmu wants to help explore the world, too, even if "Muh." is the only thing she says. She knows I can't see, just like I do, but she is happy and so am I. The others think it's kinda weird, especially when she takes my hand and puts it onto something, but Youmu doesn't.

She started doing that when she sat next to me, one day, and took my hand and put it on her head and said, "Muh!". I didn't really know why but I guess it was because she just wanted me to know she was right there. After she did that, she took my hand and put it on Chen's wheelchair, saying, "Muh!" Didn't really know why but she was telling me that Chen wasn't far away. She spent all day, bringing me to where she wanted me to go and put my hand on something, saying, "Muh!"

After that, it seemed I could follow her whenever she said, "Muh." I usually knew where she was or what it was I was touching, so it was kinda like not being blind anymore. Never could seem to figure out what "Muh" meant, then again, Youmu only said "Muh" so I think it is a Youmu thing. Either way, we explored the world together.

Youmu, with her questions and "Muhs" , is a like a box of crayons and the world is like a piece of paper, together we draw on the paper when we explore the world.

* * *

"Stop your bitchin', Baka, Ran would have taken it like a man!"


	38. Conversations and One-upmanship

It seems I was rather correct on him not being very bright, as he decided to tease one of the kids with food, more specifically, a sandwich and, needless to say, he's had it coming. However, that couldn't really be helped as he barely knows the children, especially Reimu, though, if I were her, I will have caused him injuries, too, doubly so for a rather cruel move, doubly so, since decent food is rather scarce. As we were treating his injuries, I said, "Stop your bitchin', Baka, Ran would have taken it like a man!" to which he responded, "Ran's a woman."

"So? She doesn't bitch everytime she's in pain and she's gone through labor and childbirth without screaming, so she can take a child causing some form of injury to her with ease."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah, and she also has a enough sense not to taunt children with food, especially when decent food is rather scarce, and enough kindness to know that doing so would be cruel."

"Okay, well, I take care of kids better than you can?"

_"Muh! Muh!_"

"Yes, yes, Youmu, I'll change your diaper in a moment.- Okay see, that's where you're wrong, 'cause I have enough sense to give the children the love and care they deserve and need, as well as the fact I know not to taunt them with food, especially when, if I recall, I made a sacrifice in giving them my food, when it was scarce. Oh yes, I've bent over backwards to look after them as if all of them were own and I love them each dearly, not at all being able to think of the worst happening, as well as trying to prevent the worst. You, well, you're such a dumbass that you'd put 'em into danger and still ask to babysit the next day. I would know, considering that one time with the rocks and the head injury and why Father wouldn't even dare to allow us out of his sight. Anyway, if you excuse me, I have to change Youmu's diaper, can't have her getting sick, can we?"

After changing Youmu's diaper, I returned to find Reimu playfully taunting my older brother. She was one for doing that, as it was in her nature just to play. Of course, my older brother recoiled and demanded she leave him alone, leaving her confused. "Stop your bitchin', Baka, she only wants to play!" I said. He pointed to Reimu and said, "If you can love **_that,_** then there is clearly something wrong with you." I rolled my eyes and said, "Reimu is just a child and won't do you any harm, unless you taunt her with food again, in which case, stop your bitchin'."

"You sound like my wife."

"Yeah, okay, no, I don't because your wife would tell you that if you so much as asked for a meager scrap of food, while I would tell you that because you are bitching and I've heard enough it for at least one day, also Reimu is just a child, so she cannot hurt you, then again, you are being a whinyass and, if she does cause you some injury, you've had it coming."

"Okay, well, tell me, why is your wife so fat?"

"What the hell? Okay, seriously, what the hell? First of all, even with a little extra weight, she is still beautiful and, actually, more shapely than I remembered, and, second, dumbasshedron, she put on a little weight after giving birth, which was not that long ago."

"Uh, okay, explain that little monster."

"That's Reimu, Mother-in law's adopted child, and she isn't a little monster, unless you anger or bully her, which in itself would be unwise as A) she verges on having some sort of mental illness, B) Mother-in law will have your ass, and C) we'll have your ass because we do not take kindly to one of the little ones being picked on, on top of that, Father will have your ass because he's told you to behave."

"Okay, why do you care about the little monster?"

"First of all, I care because I love her and she apart of my family, too. If you've gotten to know her, you'd find you'll love her, too, though you should have learned one thing about her and that would be that she doesn't like to be taunted and is very playful, as she is just taunting you because she only wants to play and is hoping you'll respond."

"Okay, explain the kid in the wheelchair and why you care about her?"

_"Ren, am I a monster?"_

"No, no, sweetheart, you're not a monster, Baka's just being a whinyass.-Anyway, that's Chen and she cannot walk because of something horrible we'd like not to discuss, which doesn't matter as I love her, too. I love her because, well, like Reimu, she is apart of my family, too. Also, like Reimu, if you had gotten to know her better, you'd love her, too. Any more questions?"

"Yeah, okay, um, why are all of the children giving me the evil eye?"

"They aren't, actually, they are just looking at you, because they've only seen you once and this is the second time they have seen you, so yeah."

As soon as I finished what I was saying, the children pointed to Baka and said, "Whinyass!" Naturally, my brother asked to bring his wife to dinner. To refuse would be rude so I didn't decline. Like my father had said about her, she was as unpleasant as she sounded, even more so for picking a fight with Ran and taunting the children, neither of which has done nothing to her. As we ate dinner, she glanced at Ran and asked, "What does she have that your father likes in her that I don't have?"

Baka turned to me and asked, "Yes, what is it?" I rolled my eyes and, as I was going to say something, Ran interrupted me and said, "Well, is it the fact that I always treat my family with kindness, is as soft as the softest powder puff and is even more gentle, and has been a rather dutiful wife?" After that, the children, save Youmu and An, started chanting, "Fight! Fight!Fight!" and Yukari, saying, "If you intend on fighting then do it outside in the hall."

Naturally, the two took it to the hallway and everyone stepped outside of their doors to watch, with Shimmy peeking out from between Mother-in law's breasts. The two were squared off, throwing insults at each other before Ran said, "You can suck my ass!" The two lunged at each other. There was hitting , scratching, kicking, and throwing. After about two hours, Ran emerged victorious, saying, as she wiped the blood from her mouth, "You lose, bitch!"

She turned to us and said, "Alright, who wants desert?" As for my brother's wife, she thought about antagonizing her further by calling her, "Fatass", which ended with a roundhouse kick to the face and my father saying, "That's a lady!" For once, actually, An said something and it was, "Damn." She never did seem to remember to antagonize her again and my brother accepted "defeat", though we weren't even competing against each other.

* * *

"Haircut!"


	39. Haircuts

Ran-mommie had a special announcement. At first, I thought it was that she was pregnant again or something in relation to that but, no, it was about getting haircuts. I was confused as to why we would get a haircut as I thought our hair was short enough anyway but, no, Ran-mommie was insistent that we'd get haircuts, though the only ones who didn't have to get haircuts were An, Muh, and Taddie. Dammit. After washing and drying our hair, she sat us all in the living, walking back and forth, deciding on who she should pick.

She was doing that for about five seconds before she picked Reimu, who had fallen asleep. Couldn't figure out why she would pick Reimu first but I guess it had something to do with the fact that she sleeps a lot and it would be easier for her cut her hair because she wouldn't put up a fight, complain, or even notice. When she was finished, Reimu did wake up before going back to sleep, though she did touch her hair. Apparently, Ran-mommie cut it a bit too short but Reimu didn't mind, as she couldn't see it anyway.

The next one she picked was Sakuya, who was kinda mad but Ran-mommie told her she was ging to curl her hair when she finished. After she had finished cutting Sakuya's hair, she'd thought she'd give Sakuya one of those hair styles she had seen in a magazine. Sakuya was rather surprised, having not have seen that curly hairstyle before.

The third one she picked was Renko, who was excited because she had never got her hair cut before. She did stop being excited for a moment and asked, "Will it hurt?" and Ran-mommie answered, "No, sweetheart, it won't hurt, though it might tickle." Throughout, she giggled and had to be told to sit still. She squealed when she did see her hairstyle.

The fourth one she picked was Maribel, who was rather quiet but curious. She had never seen a haircut before and she hasn't had her hair trimmed. Like Wren, she kinda thought it would hurt but found out it didn't, so she sat patiently, clapping her hands to a beat and humming a tune so she wouldn't get bored. Once she was finished cutting it, Ran pulled out the curling irons and curled Meary's hair as she wanted it.

The fifth one she picked was Yume Ni, whose hair looked like a bird's nest when it was dry and Ran-mommie stated it needed to be trimmed. Ran-mommie and Yu-Ni argued for about fifteen minutes, before Mama Ran, said, "Either I cut it or Yukari does and, if she does it, you won't like it." She was quiet and let Ran-mommie cut her hair. She didn't like it, though.

The sixth one she picked was Marisa, who was picking her nose...with a pencil. Ran-mommie took the pencil from her and said, "How many times have I told you to stop putting things in your nose?" Marisa's hair didn't take long to cut and it was cut into something kind of apple-shaped.

I was the last the seventh and the last one to have my hair cut. It has been a little while since Ran-mommie cut my hair and she has cut it before but that was so long ago and I usually would cut my own hair, though now I can't. It didn't take very long for her finish. I didn't mind my new haircut and Ran-mommie did a good job.

* * *

"Oh, Mother-in law, are you alright?"

"Just tired, very tired and also not feeling very well, dear."

"You should rest then and I'll take over your duties for a few days."


	40. Three Days Rest

I found myself ill from overwork and Ren, my dear son-in law, insisted I take a rest for a few days to recover. I didn't argue, figuring I had been working far too much. Being landlady demands so much, so it is no surprise that my health was affected in all of this, yet I never remember to take at least one day off for myself. After about a few days rest, maybe I'll ask Ren to take me out exploring this anarchist wasteland of a world, probably even take me into the forest so I can see butterflies and sniff flowers. Going out is something I very seldom even do and the last time I had gone out was about one or two months ago.

The first day of rest was rather uneventful, aside from the children laughing, babies crying, Pug, that yappy dog, barking, Ran racing about, and my sleeping. When I did awake, I would find myself falling asleep, again, or, if it were a mealtime, I would awake to Ran holding a bowl of rat soup with the crapass noodles. I would eat it of course but Ran would lament that we don't have a any decent noodles and that she couldn't make any if wanted to, as we don't have any eggs and we were out of flour. I told her not to worry and that I'll be fine.

The second day, something a bit more exciting. Reimu, being near blind, decided to come and see me. I could see her trailing after Pug, trying to get up the stairs. She tired out before trying again, finally making it up the stairs. I blinked, got out of bed, and picked her up, cradling her in my arms and placing her in my bed. I curled up next to her, content.

The third day, I was feeling well again and spent that day playing with the children.

After that, I had gone back to work, with Ren reminding to take a time off every once in a while.

* * *

"Reimu? Where's Reimu?"


	41. Lost Children, Part 1

There was a great alarm, today, and Reimu was missing. I wondered how on earth could she have gotten out and I was quite interested to look for her, hoping she didn't get very far. To worsen matters, she wasn't the only one gone, so were Youmu, Wren, Porwigle, and An. We searched hysterically for them but we only recovered An and Wren's stuffed rabbit but Youmu, Wren, Reimu, and Sanae were still missing. We never could find them.

We searched for over a few days but we never found them. _"Where on earth could such small children go?"_ I had asked myself during these searches and I would quietly hope for the best, even if we were faced with the most overwhelming evidence that something horrid could very well had befallen them, which wasn't hard to think, as Reimu is near blind and the other three really have no survivor's skills, not that the former has any herself. If something horrid has befallen them, then I can only hope it was quick and neither of them suffered.

I remembered we had gathered into an apartment Yukari set aside as a meeting room to discuss the situation. Ren, seeing through gaps, pointed out that it wasn't the fact of how far they could have went, rather it was the fact they had gotten very far from the from the start. Of course, Bitch Wife argued, "You three tailed imbecile! No child of that particular size could have gotten very far, not without something or someone killing, injuring, trading, or eating them, and besides why do you care?!"

Ren narrowed his eyes, stood up, took a deep breath, and said, "Pardon me, Miss, not meaning to be rude, but I think you are a total bitch and that your question is rather redundant because I care about them because I love them and they are very much like my own, especially since I've bonded with them, helped take care of them, sacrificed for them, and done almost everything for and with them, I cannot think of something horrible befalling them. They are but babies and that is the reason for the worry as people in this world, the _real_ monsters, have no qualms about doing any of the things you've said. If anything, I do hope they either come back or that we will find them. They may not be your children but they are **_our_** children and we love them very much, also, we have lost far too many children and we needn't lose any more. Thank you for listening, fuck off, and shut the hell up." He sat down, content that he had shut her up and that he said what he needed to say. Yukari later on saying, "Owned."

We continued debating the proper course of action on how to deal with the situation but we couldn't seem to reach an agreement and some parts of the meeting broke out into fisticuffs.

* * *

"Found 'em, yet?"

"No, Miss Mokou."


	42. Lost Children, Part 2

We never really had given up our search for them, even as it dragged on for a rather long time. We searched as the days past and we waited and hoped. I asked around but I got nothing, besides people trading attempting trade their children for something by passing them off as the children we were trying to find. As I searched for them, I was trying piece together where on earth they could have gone to and how it is they managed to get out. Of course, I knew it had to have involved Reimu getting out and the others went to follow her.

On a note, I worried that when we do find them, they'll only escape again, as they a long enough amount of time will have made them turn to animalistic behave to cope with and survive their situation. Said behavior is hard to rehabilitate as that will have been the only thing they will have learned to live with, replacing what they were previously lived with.

The search still dragged on and Yukari was growing more and more frantic by the passing time. Days turned into weeks and weeks eventually became months, surely it couldn't have been very long since they had gone missing. Hopefully, when we do find them, we will manage to bring them back to us.

* * *

"I recognize that little voice..."


	43. Lost Children, Part 3: Rememberance

After about some time, hard to determine how long but it clearly had to have been at least more than a few months, I and my husband decided to pursue our search for them into the forest, after all other the other places were searched. As we trekked, I heard a familiar sound. A wren. _Odd._ I thought in apprehensiveness but, at the same time, curiosity. I only knew one or two things that makes those sounds, actual wrens, Troglodytes troglodytes, and a little girl affectionately nicknamed Wren.

Following the sound, we happened upon a little shoe. It was a pale cyan, filthy, and practically ragged. We recognized it as Youmu's, as Reimu and Wren don't wear shoes and Sanae's are green. Clearly, finding the shoe meant that they were not that far away and their existence within that forest had been all but extinguished. We continued on, determined to find them, hoping they weren't driven insane by their situation.

As we continued, we found ourselves meeting a familiar face and strange flowers. Cirno's. She seemed to have taken up residence here and seemed to fairly content in freezing what is she wanted, though she seemed to have another ability, which is to turn things crystal, explaining the flowers. She smiled, showing us she had a mouth full of missing teeth, and said, "Hello, RanRen." We greeted her in turn and asked her if she had seen, Sanae, Youmu, Reimu, and Renko, to which she said, "Hmm-humm, I think I might've, dunno if had, but, then again, I help search and we'll find 'em together."

Aiding us in our search, Cirno zipped around, asking any of her forest friends if they had seen them, before she came across her "pet" kitsune. He was familiar as well, actually, we knew him because Reimu used to call him "Mushrooms" because he mostly seemed to eat mushrooms. Naturally, I was curious as to why or how Cirno managed to make him a pet, let alone call him one. He lifted his fat rather fat self walked a few steps, as far as his stilt like legs seemed they could carry him, sat down, and said, after taking a rather wheezy breath, "Uh,...the last time I had seen them, was when they were going in that direction." After Cirno thanked him and as we were starting off, he decided to follow us, aiding us in our search.

Pointing us which ways to go, we made our way into the deeper parts of the forest, where the sound of wrens came again and where the collapsed ruins of an old house were. We had found them. Their time in these circumstances had its effect and it they were surviving off what little they instincts they had and communicating with what wasn't lost, though Youmu still said, "Muh?" that being the only thing she's learned how to say. As to be expected, living in their circumstances for some time had either started to or had turned them into feral children, if not something almost akin to that, or, otherwise appeared to. Fortunately, they weren't pass any point of foreseeable rehabilitation and still retained most if not all of their language skills, so hope was all but lost.

With caution, we approached them and, to our surprise they approached us without fear and in some sort of relief for finally being found. Formulating what sentence she could pull together, Sanae asked, "We go home?" with Youmu, saying, "Muh?" Warbling and trilling like a wren, Renko offered me a mouse, saying, "Missed you, An-Ran and En-Ren." With a piece of cloth on her like a blanket, Reimu remained where she was, asleep, like she usually would. When she awoke, she sat up, sniffed the air, briefly opened her eyes, got to her feet, and started to walk towards us. She was about five feet away but that proved no problem. When she was close enough, she dropped down to her rear end, satisfied, saying, "Missed you, sorry." She then handed me the piece of cloth. It was worn and rather dirty, as it was rather old, but it looked familiar.

As I scrutinized this cloth, a memory came and I realize this was the same piece of cloth Yukari had found me with, something that she had kept all of these years and seemed pretty sad to have lost. I looked up, at that old house, practically overgrown with vegetation, and I recognized it as our old house, the very house we were forced to flee from. Something within prompted her to return. I walked up the steps and opened the door. Everything seemed to almost the same, despite the house being near empty. This house was full of so many memories. I could hear Flandre's voice, Chen's contented purrs, the rabbit scampering about on the floor boards, Yukari's hums, Reimu playing the erhu, and smell the smells of my cooking. The memories of the home this place used to be. I walked through the house, down the hall, to the room that was once mine. Somewhat bewildered, I looked around and noticed little crayon drawings on the wall. I moved onto the next room. Chen, Flandre, Yukari's and, then the last one, Reimu's. All of the rooms had crayon drawings in them, something I had found odd. As tears rolled down my face and took me some time that the girls had drawn them when they took refuge here. They recognized something about this place as ours and felt happy and safe, though, in Reimu's case, familiar. I wiped away my tears, walked back outside, and said, "Let's go home sweethearts."

As we left, Cirno and Mushrooms said goodbye and asked us to visit again. They decided to make our old house theirs and seemed to be content.

* * *

"What makes a sound like that?"

"That's Wren and she does that often."


	44. Chirps and Silence

So far, instead of speaking, Wren mostly seemed to communicate in chirps and warbles, like a wren. We had recently brought them home, so we figured this was something that she still retained. Naturally, we accepted as more of a quirk. She's done that more often than not and it seemed to be at special times she would do so. She would chirp and warble, letting out, "Chur-rrr-rr-rr-tek-tek." at mid morning and would do so again in late afternoon. She was normally very vocal that way but she would speak actual words. However, her communication was far different than Reimu, Sanae, and Youmu's but Reimu's especially in that the other two would talk.

Reimu remained silent. This wasn't the first time, as she was like that before, during the long passed winter. Of course, that was when she had relearned her language skills and expanded her vocabulary, so she would remain silent because she was still learning. However, that wasn't too long a time ago when she had regained the use of comprehensive speech, so it could be possible she was trying to salvage what was left of it, if she's lost them. Either way, we know the cause of her silence.

Her silence did serve as somewhat of a contrast between the two because, if I remember correctly, Reimu was the more talkative, vocal, one, while Misosazai was rather quiet, unless engaged in conversation, that is. I guess Reimu will simply require a longer time of rehabilitation.

* * *

"TO THE MOON!"


	45. To the Moon!

Tenshi seems to have upset Yukari, again, as she was standing outside of our apartment door with something that feels like a baseball bat. Naturally, I let her in and she went right to beating Tenshi with it. She finished her beating of her with the bat and went back to her business. I couldn't seem to figure what it was Yukari was upset with her for but I figured it had something to do with what had happened yesterday.

Later that day, the two were brawling it out inside the hallway and Yukari seemed to winning. From the sounds, I could tell Yukari was using her gaps to beat Tenshi within inches of her life. When she was done, she sighed and, betwixt heavy breaths, she said, "That is for what happened yesterday. She let it go but I didn't and won't and, if you do that again, I will kick your ass and then some more and will continue doing so again and again and again and again and again and again and again, until you break."

She had gone about her business again, with Mokou asking, "Does that whole entire thing have anything to do with her kickin' Reimu the across the hall yesterday? 'cause I'm pretty sure, Ren told her, 'Miss Tenshi, um, you might want to hide and lay low for a while because, if and when Mother-in law finds out, she'll be very upset.' and that was like the fifteenth time she's like kicked a kid across the hallway." to which Ran answered, "Yes, Methhead Mokou, yes, it does."

* * *

"Chen? Cheeen? _**CHEN!**_"


	46. Please Wake Up

Reimu, it seems, has started back returning to her old self but I found this change alarming. Some of her behavior pointed to something wrong, very wrong. I had noticed this strange behavior when Chen had merely opted to take a nap, by laying on the couch. Apparently, her ears didn't detect the faint sounds of Chen breathing, which in turn made her upset. Violently, she started shaking Chen until she awoke. I watched this with observance, wondering why she behaved the way she did but then I remembered that horrible even two years ago. Viewing that from her perspective, I can tell she had, in a way, shoved it to the far recesses of her innocent mind.

She was upset when she thought Chen wouldn't wake up, something that had probably haunted her since that very day. It haunts me as well, especially, since I feel I could have protected them both but didn't. In a way, this showed how close they were. Chen did reassure her that she would wake up, as promised, knowing how much Reimu likes promises, before falling back to sleep. It sated her temporarily, allowing her to go about her business

She wasn't just like that with Chen, she was like that with Ran, anyone to whom she was close to, and she would wake up, even doing so if they weren't asleep from the start. Something within her made her think something was wrong, meaning she had remembered what had happened during her formative age-regression years. She remembered the awful points in those years and there isn't anything we can do to make her forget, not without driving her into further madness. She knows what death is, yes, she does, but, to her naive mind, it is like falling asleep and never waking up, something, from what it seems, that she fears. Sure, fear was conditioned from her but she, like everyone else, doesn't want to die, not yet, not so soon, and neither does she want to see someone close to her go so soon, mental instabilities aside.

Yes, as promised Chen did wake up and got back into her wheelchair, Reimu smiling again, happy that someone close to her hasn't at all passed away. I wonder if, to a certain degree, if their innocence will betray them in the anarchist wasteland of a world. I know of Reimu's and I can only hope that this will not make her further victim of her madness but what of the others? My only hope is that we can protect them from it.

* * *

"Oooh, what pretty picture, Tadpole!"


	47. Taddie's 'Famly'

One time, Taddie was drawing a picture with her crayons. I was watching her because I had never seen her do that before, except that one time she had drawn on the wall. As I was watching her, she was drawing a picture of us, all holding hands and smiling. She had drawn us and then she wrote the word, as only she could spell it, "Famly." She then kissed it and ran to show it it to Ran-mommie.

Suwako had gone away a rather long time ago and Sanae didn't seem to miss her. Maybe she liked living here with us and she thought of us as her family. She still remembered Suwako and always will but she will always see us as her family. Of course, she's been with us for so long that this is like the only thing she knows. Maybe Suwako left so Taddie could have a real family and she knew she would be happier with us than she probably was with herself.

Ran-mommie later put that picture that Taddie drew in a frame and hung it up on the wall, where we can all see it.

* * *

"Sometimes, she sees ghosts, it's like they come to her."


	48. Making Peace with Past Ghosts

I have heard tale of children being able to see ghosts or, otherwise, be aware of their presence. I remembered how I would doubt that but I find I was wrong for doing so. The children do indeed see something otherworldly and have engaged in its presence. At the same time, I also heard tale of ghosts eventually returning to resolve when had been left unfinished. I knew very little of what we were to meet and what shall indeed be laid to rest.

It had started when I had taken notice to Reimu talking incomprehensibly with something unseen. At first, I considered it only to be an imaginary friend, something she created to cope with being lost in the wild or for her to talk to, considering that she doesn't tend to speak very much, so I thought nothing of it and there wasn't much to think of, since she is a tad nuts, rather. I let her be and play well with her perceived playmate but I found myself to be shaken when I had caught a brief glance of a faint child's figure, almost about Reimu's size, with ears, tail, and an indigo ribbon in her hair. I blinked and glanced back but I didn't see what I've seen initially. I shrugged it off, considering it to be my mind playing tricks on me.

The next day had grown stranger, when I had noticed a white butterfly fluttering in the hallway before landing on Huzi, Suika, and Kaguya's door. It was peculiar, yes, and, again, I had thought very little of it, considering it to be coincidence, but I found myself surprised when, in the butterfly's place, I saw Eirin standing at the door. I blinked and I saw that the butterfly had vanished. Later on, I heard babies crying and asked Ducks if they were alright to which she said, "They are and, actually, they have been quiet." I found myself completely shocked at how she couldn't or didn't hear the sound of little whimpers. However, as I was going over my thoughts of today, I found myself approached by Chen, who whispered, "Hey, Yuuka, can I teww you something?"

"Yes, poppet."

"I think we have ghosts because I saw Eiwin, yestewday, and Weimu has been tawking to Yume."

"Now, Chen, Eirin's long passed away, as had Yume. Surely, you must have been seeing things."

"Was not! I saw them with my own eyes, so I know it was them. On top of that thewe has been the ghost of a kitsune fowwowing

Wen-daddie awound and she wooks wike him and Meiwing has fowwowing Sakuya awound."

"Now, poppet, you know Meiling passed away, so there is no Meiling here and I'm sure Ren will have known if something was following him, surely."

"No, I weawwy did see hew, Meiwing, Yume, and that wady I think is Wen's mommy."

After listening to her talk, I figured we really did have ghosts but I did conclude just to let them alone, as I figured there wasn't anything we could do about them, though I was curious as to see what their goals could be. Obviously, they were not meaning to harm but they were looking to be at peace somehow. It made sense, seeing as they've died without some sort of resolution. I thought to make peace with the ghosts and, further more, the past. Making peace with the ghosts will make peace with the past, eventually loosening its hold.

After about a few days of the ghosts haunting, everyone did take notice. It was bittersweet, to say what couldst be said. As for Ducks, she was in tears and on the ground to be briefly reunited with her long passed away babies. For Winston, or, Ren, as I should call him, he had met the mother he hadn't been able to meet because she had died bringing him into this world and, as for his father, he had gotten to see his beloved wife, enabling him to move on. For Eirin, Kaguya and little Udonge had gotten to see her again and, for Keine, she had finally calmed Methhead Mokou's grief, even motivating her to go clean. As for Meiling and Patchouli, they opted to watch over Remi, Flan, and Sakuya forever. For Suika, Yuugi gave her friendly noogie and, as for Sattie, she was had gotten to see Rin, Okuu, and Koishi yet again. We all had made peace with the ghosts the pain of the past seemed to subside.

There had come new stars in the sky.

For once, it seemed we were finally free.

* * *

"Question?"

"Yes, Sakuya?"

"What stinks like doodie?"

"Chen, do you need a diaper change?"

"Yes, but we'we out of diapews and I'm not the onwy one who needs diapew change, as a mattew of fact, Weimu took hews off and has done hew business in Pug's wittewbox."

"Well, Mama Ran is going to have to go on a diaper run-Ren, fire up the motorcycle truck, we're going on a diaper run!- and, in the meanwhile, Chen, I'm going to sit you on the toilet."


	49. Diaper Run

To much annoyance, we found that we were out of diapers prompting Ren and I to go out get some more. I loaded my gun and got on the back of the motorcycle truck and go further into town. To a certain degree, it felt good to be outside and Ren and I weren't the only ones that thought so because, to our surprise, we found Youmu was following after us, saying, "Muh, muh!" I blinked and said, "Ren, stop!" He slammed on the brake and I got off to go get her. She was too far away to be sent back, so we decided we'd take her with. She seemed to be happy wanting to go out and about. As we continued a bit further, we found there was also Yukari (with pug) who wanted to go after being fed up with sitting in that lobby for a long time.

After sorting everything out, we decided we all would go on a diaper run. Of course, we didn't know, initially, where to obtain diapers until Ren did remember where we got the cribs, so clearly diapers were there, too. However, that was rather far and we didn't really have enough gas, so we asked Yukari to gap us there. She did and we found ourselves where the layette store was. Yukari swiveled her head, here and there, looking around for something and someone suspicious, all while holding Youmu close to her. When she did spot something, she said, "Careful, there could be landmines afoot."

After scrounging about through the store, I have come across unopened boxes of diapers. I picked them up, carried them out, got on, and left. As we were going home, we found ourselves sidetracked by gun fight. That wasn't very easy to dodge but neither was it hard. When they spotted Yukari, they stopped and allowed us to pass. Unsurprisingly, we recognized them as the ones to whom Yukari threatened to blow up in a fireball if they ever antagonized her again. We continued until we found ourselves debating on whether or not to go through a gunfight just to get past. Yukari stepped off, walked into the middle, causing everyone to look at her funny, took a deep breath, and yelled, "MOVE DAMMIT!" They dropped everything and left, not at all thinking to shoot at her or anything of the sort. Apparently, her voice scared them away. After passing through all the gunfights with Yukari's aid, we found something interesting. A bunk bed. The children will like that, we knew, so we took it with, though Reimu is going to be pretty pissed when she finds out she'll have to sleep in that crib, still.

We made it home and just in time as well, since our apartment was near close to chaotic and Chen had grown bored of sitting on the toilet, actually, she said her ass was sore. She was relieved to have a diaper on, as everyone else that required to have a diaper change. On the note of the bunk beds, Reimu was pissed and, during one of the rarer times in which she talks, she pointed out that An doesn't have to and neither does she sleep in a crib to which I said, "Well, first of all, you always find a way to get out, and, second of all, we keep you in there to keep you from unknowingly hurting yourself at night, especially while you sleep (this has happened before), which you are going to do otherwise, so that is why you sleep in a crib and you will be sleeping in that crib until you either do or have one or two things happen: A), stop getting out, which you clearly aren't going to do, B), until you outgrow it and that will be awhile, C), until I, Ren, or Yukari decides you can get out, and or D) until we get a you a new bed to put you in." She didn't argue back.

* * *

"Muh-ma."


	50. Youmu's First Words (Besides Muh)

Youmu, it seems, has learned more words, though the first word she's managed to get out was, "Muma" and the second was, "Muhpa". When I had heard it, I was surprised because she's only said, "Muh" but this time she's said something else. Of course, "Muma" was her way of saying "Mama" and "Muhpa" being her way of saying "Papa" and she seemed to be calling anyone that was an adult female or male that and or who isn't my brother or his paintbrush wife, then again, that is something she's learned by observing everyone else. When she says it, she smiles and says it again.

We had noticed this during when Ran, as usual, was teaching their lessons. Naturally, the toddlers being young were only taught lessons at the side but Youmu thought it'd be fit to catch Ran's attention. While she was talking, Youmu walked over, tugged her sleeve, and said, "Muma." It caught her attention, prompting her stop teaching for a moment and look at her, trying to wrap her head around what had happened. Smiling, Youmu repeated what she said and nuzzled her arm. Though confused, Ran smiled and said, "Hello, Youmu." Usually, "Muh" was Youmu's usual thing she said but it seems she's finally expanded her vocabulary. She walked over to me and said, "Muhpa!" and kissed me on the face. It was rather sweet, really, that she's acknowledged some parental figures in her life, be it if there are many of them.

So far, she hasn't yet learned to call people their names.

* * *

"Birthday."


	51. Birthday

I found myself remembering a day and something I had promised. Reimu's birthday had come and I am going to keep my promise. Of course, I was going to have to trade something to get stuff to make into a cake. That shouldn't be too hard, as I do have things people will want to trade me for or perhaps I could get it from Yuyuko, who can get anything. I promised Reimu, along with Maribel and Renko. My little babies will like something sweet. I didn't know what to get them as presents, though, I'm sure they won't mind if they get something rather simple (i.e Renko stated she wanted an apple and Maribel wanted a teddy bear).

On the day before their birthday, I found myself taking a day away from my duties to focus on other ones. Disguising myself as a blind woman and Pug as my seeing eye dog, I led my pug to Yuyuko's Tavern and Whatever (that is exactly what she's decided to call it) to see if she has anything I could use to bake a cake. She searched about in the kitchen before coming up with ambrosia, stating, "I don't have anything to bake a cake with but ambrosia always does me good." I accepted it and thanked her for her services. As for presents, I wasn't really sure what to give them, though I figured I could get them something, I just didn't know what.

When their birthday did come, it turns out they really didn't want much of anything but they were at their happiest to spend time with me.

* * *

"You shut your mouths right now, you bastard and bitch!"


	52. Monster

It is rather amusing that a child is called a monster, when children aren't much to fear and that there are far fearsome things capable of doing things far worse. I cannot for the like me of comprehend why it is Ren's older brother Baka and his bitch wife even think to bring a child to tears, especially when she is just as much a victim as the rest of us of hard times and collapsed foundations. In my 1444 years of existence, I have seen monsters, both human and youkai alike, so surely a child is a no monster, unless she becomes that way from being too corrupted or was a victim of further madness, in which or either case, it remains tragic. I don't have to see to know that she was bullied to tears. By a some time, the tears had stopped, meaning she had grown used to it, and I could tell how numbed by her voice, especially when she turned her head towards me and smiled. I could clearly tell she was hurt and even offered to shield her from the bullying and torment by taking her from it, something she didn't refuse. To much my upset, Ren, Ran, Yukari, and no one else but I knew and that couldn't be helped, as Reimu has been mostly silent, communicating in utterances, gestures, or grunts, very seldom talking.

It was one to thing to call her a monster and then turn around and go right back to bullying her but doing so on so on frequent of a basis that it she's grown numbed to it is another. Even though she had grown numbed, I could imagine what sort of expression she might have had, an expression that asked, _"What have I done wrong?"_ After some time of sitting by and subtly protecting her, I decided to go to catch Ren on an off day, telling him what had gone on. I couldn't see his expression but I could tell he was shocked. He was upset and decided to keep an eye out for his idiot brother and his bitch wife. When the two went back to taunting her again, he said, "You shut your mouths right now, you bastard and bitch!" We were surprised as Ren wasn't exactly one for swearing, not in the company of others but this time he did and it called all of our attention.

"You two stop calling her a monster, when you are the monsters. If she had done something to you, then, fine, tell us and we'll take action but DO NOT, under any circumstance call her a monster when there are _REAL_ monsters out there that will do worse than a child would. I have seen mothers abandon their babies, if not outright kill them, I have seen homes and people destroyed all in the name of greed and a twisted sense of purpose, people imprisoned outright for no apparent reason besides just because and many persecuted for simply existing, blaming them for their own existence, much like what it is you are doing to her, when she hasn't done any of those things. No, she hasn't, in fact, not that she can remember, she is a victim of monsters, as they've separated her from her mother figure, virtually denied her contact, besides being fed and doped up sedatives, that of which could have very killed her, and then had her mind altered through some kind of mental conditioning, that of which clearly isn't going to be reversed, opening her up to danger, and she most certainly is the victim of your cruelty, making you two monsters of your own rights." he said, taking a deep breath afterwards.

He picked up Reimu, walked back into their apartment, before coming out with a hammer, saying, "If you bully and so much as lay a finger on her or any of the other children, I will smack you both in your heads with this hammer and I will have no regrets because you and your bitch wife will have had it coming. If I don't get to you, then Mother-in law most certainly will, as she's made no harming the children clear, as will Father, because he's told you to behave, Ran will, doubly so because you've called her the "C-word" and then a "fatass", Suika will because she calls them her little siblings, Yuuka because we all know how she is, and everyone else close to us will because we and they take care of their own. Oh, and you two will be damned if the children decide to fight back and they will do so in numbers." He walked back into the apartment and close the door. He was finished for the day.

* * *

"Let's watch The Godfather."

"Wan-mommie said no Godfathew because of that one time."

"Oh yeah."

"Muh?"

"Youmu, we've watched that one awweady."

"This one?"

"Hmm, we've never watched that one before. All in favor?"

"Da-ze!"

"Muh!"

"...Okay."

"Yessie-yes~!"

* * *

**Authoress Note: **Sorry terribly for the late update, I will try to update even at an earlier given time.

- Amoridere


	53. What Happened during Movie Night

Sometimes, we sneak into the living room, while Ran-mommie and Ren-daddie are asleep, and watch movies. They don't know that is what we have done for the past time or so. Of course, we usually had to figure out what to watch and that Sakuya usually picked the movies and asked if we agreed. She went through almost each and every last one before settling on one of the ones we haven't seen before. We didn't know what it was titled as the label that was scratched off. We turned down the TV and put it in the VCR. Something smelled wrong and, by the time the movie was over, we, except Reimu (who was sleeping) and Muh, were scared out of our skulls.

As we went back to bed, we swore to never speak of that movie but that didn't stop Youmu from asking about it. She didn't even know how to say "movie" and yet she still asked about it. Honestly, what the fuck has her fascinated with a movie that frighted us? We didn't know and Youmu tends to be very clueless. We knew what was going on that movie and we'd swore to never speak of it but, as to be expected, she's a squealer and, even though she only says "Muh", "Muhpa", and "Muma", she is pretty talkative. We tried everything for four days, approx, to keep her from blabbing to Papa Ren and Mama Ran.

After four days, we gave up and let Muh ask about the movie. She took the videotape and brought it to Ran, asking, "Muma, Muhvie?" Ran took it from her and said, "Well, it someone's found a movie they shouldn't have and, yes, I know you got up to watch a movie, we're not deaf, though, if you're going to watch a movie, please make sure it is fit for children."

* * *

"Long hair, long hair, long hair, silky and fair."


	54. Cracking the Shell

Reimu's white hair had grown, going even past her heels, and, frankly, I think it is time for it to be cut but she won't let me and, if I try, she usually tries to bite me, saying, "Nuh-uh!" Of course, I would be shocked to hear her say something, as she very seldom spoke and was usually quiet. She did speak a couple of times and that was when she was protesting that she had to sleep in a crib and when she cried out for us. However, she seemed really inclined to sing when I was doing something her hair she liked, brushing. I found that odd, as she usually never spoke to anyone or anything, unless it was an utterance or a noise.

It was amusing to watch her sing or otherwise chant her song, during a time in which she would remain silent. When I had finished, she would be quiet again. Of course, this was a part of her strange behavior, aside from mood swings, catatonia, and staring into nothing, muttering nonsensical or in what she used to communicate in. It was almost like she was in a shell, one that would be hard to crack. Seeing her in that shell made me want to bring her back to us, reclaim what had been lost to delirium and psychosis. Of course, illness is hard to cure and to reclaim what had been lost to it is even harder. Her shell would be hard to crack and, frankly, as much as I want to, I cannot think of how to do so, besides brushing her hair.

In thinking, I had realized that I haven't really spoke to her and neither she had done the same. I opted to try this but found I didn't have to when, on one occasion of hairbrushing, she turned to me and whispered, "I don't want to be sick anymore." I was shocked and found I couldn't respond to her. My heart started to break, even more so for the fact that she aware of her mental illness or, otherwise, seemed to be aware that something was clearly wrong with her. With a smile, she asked me, "Am I dying?" which made me horrified. As with the aforementioned, she was probably aware of the fact that nothing could be done, just like any of us would be if we had a terminal illness of some sort and has resigned ourselves to a fate that cannot be changed. She, a child with so much to live for, had resigned herself to a fate that no one should ever have to suffer. I had realized that beneath her cheerfulness, she was utterly miserable, suffering from something that she cannot comprehend and is utterly unaware of, the very pain she cannot seem to feel. I was haunted by what she had said. Like any other child, she was seeking comfort and wanted someone to make things better. She wanted to be rid of what plagues her but knows she can't and has resigned herself to live with it, so she smiles, "shikata ga nai".

As I was thinking about it, I found myself sleepless and then whimpering in the middle of the night, awaking Ren, who asked, "What's the matter?" to which I responded, "You know how we've always figured something was wrong with Reimu?" He glanced sideways before saying, "Yes, I do." My lip trembled and I told him, "She told me she didn't want to be sick anymore."

"Huh?"

"She told me she didn't want to be sick anymore and then asked me if she was dying."

"I don't know what to say that and neither did you. At least, to a certain degree, her shell cracked just enough so we can see inside. If anything, Reimu found you to be the one she could confide in and letting you in on her innermost feelings, something that she hasn't done before, at least not openly. At the same time, she also crying for help."

"How?"

"Well, think about it, she usually doesn't confide about how she feels to anyone and has been mostly silent but decided to open up just this once and speak comprehensively, in sentences, rather than in utterances. She spoke to you because you were there to listen and was capable of reading you well enough to know that you wanted to talk to her or, rather, ask her what she wanted the most, something that she has probably observed you doing with the other children. If anything her smile is her way of comforting others and herself mostly, diverting attention away from her sorrow and pain, much like how Chen purred to herself. Of course, when someone does cry for help, it is rather hard to interpret or hard to understand when it is you, contrary to someone else because you cannot fathom why it is they would come to _you,_ especially when you think of yourself as the most unlikely person. If anything, it shows how close a bond she has someone, especially if she's known them for as long as she remembers. Hopefully, someday, she will finally be able break free from that shell."

_Hopefully. _Hopefully what was lost can finally be reclained

* * *

"Look who's come to visit for a while, Cirno and her pet and we're going to make dinner for you~!"


	55. I love them and they are my family

Cirno thought it would be nice to visit us for a while and she brought along her "pet", which is a really fat kitsune Reimu calls "Mushrooms" or "Shroom" for short. I for the like of me cannot figure out why it is she calls him a pet, then again, he doesn't seem to mind. When they came to visit, she was carrying that fat kitsune and dropped him on Yukari, who in turn gapped him upstairs. He wasn't the only thing she was carrying, she was also carrying a bag of stuff. While Shrooms rolled his fat ass into the kitchen, Cirno unloaded her bag, saying, "Inside this bag is dinner." I blinked and asked what it was to which she said, "Cirno's extra special soup that consists of frogs, mushrooms, pig leg, eggs, spices, and, well, I guess that's it."

"Huh?!"

"Yuh-huh, that's right

"Okay, it it good?"

"Yuppers and what you don't eat, Doggy will eat, he eats anything, especially tacky rugs but, don't worry, your rug isn't tacky, though that idiot and his bitchy wife's rug is. Honestly, if you're going to be a moron and a bitch, then you may as well pick a nice rug to steal, not no crapass smells like looks like shit rug that doesn't even compliment the rest the of house, except to make it look shittier. Trust me, Chen, even a dog wouldn't pee on and a crazy person wouldn't their ass with it.

_"Thank you!"_

"I hear ya'."

"Anyway, I hope I make enough, don't you think?"

"With all of those frozen frogs and everything else, I think you will."

"Okay, good. Anyway, how have you been?"

"Oh, I've been okay and so have everyone else. You?"

"Well, we missed you all, so we came here, making where we live our vacation home. Ran-Ran told me it was your old house. I drew a picture of us all holding hands on the wall."

"That was nice."

I left Cirno to her soup and pictured in my head what that picture could look like. When Yukari found out she was cooking dinner, she said, "Good, good to try new things." Next to Reimu, Shroom had plopped down next to her, settling for a nap, with Reimu snuggling closer. After about an hour, dinner was finished and everyone had gathered at the table. It was like a normal family dinner, well, except for An, A.K.A "Baby Thrill-seeker" (as Yu-Ni calls her) trying to jump off of things again. Cirno placed out the bowls and, with a ladle, filling them with soup. As soon as her bowl was filled, Yukari thought to eat hers first, stating, "I'm older than you, I eat first." We watched her. She didn't seem to mind it, as had eaten it without fussing or minding the fact that one of the frogs was still alive. Actually, on the note of that frog, she picked it up and threw it in her mouth before it could hop across the room or, for that matter, the table, burping afterwards and saying, "Well, that tasted nice."

We all started eating, concluding it did taste nice, which it did, of course. As we were eating, Yume Ni brought up that time Reimu tried to stab her with a pair of scissors. I remembered that because that was a couple of days ago and I'm pretty sure she was either pissed off or incoherent or, for that matter, both. Either way, I never really could figure out why, then again, that would be a reason not to leave out the scissors, of course. Yukari glanced at her and asked, "Are you telling lies again?" to which she answered, "Hell no! She really did try to stab me with scissors, that little psychopath."

"Okay, if she actually did, then why didn't you tell your mother? Because that would have been a good idea on how to deal-Ran, hold out your arms.- with the problem, resolving it right then and there."

"Uh..."

"Okay, clearly, this is a problem that has to be dealt with and it will be. One, Reimu, sweetheart, that's not how you use scissors and you do not try to stab yourself or other people using the scissors or anything sharp else for that matter. Two, as for you, Yume Ni Yakumo, I must clearly note that what Reimu is doing is no more violent that you trying to push or get Chen's wheelchair to fall a flight of stairs."

I vaguely remember that as that was before I got my new wheelchair and that was when I was usually just waking up from a nap. If Yukari didn't catch me, I will have suffered broken bones. I can't understand and neither do I know why my little sister tried to do that but, then again, Reimu tried to stab her with a pair of scissors and she didn't know and understand why. Then again, each and every last one of us in this room probably did something like that when we were a little. I remember Ran-mommie saying I used to hit Yukari in the legs with rocks and before that, when I was just learning how to walk, I used to smack her in the eye and I do remember Yukari telling me Ran-mommie would randomly start punching and kicking her for about five minutes before going off to do something else and, once, tried to bury her

Naturally, Gramps thought it was rather interesting, stating that Ren-daddie once threw a log much bigger than himself , of course, Baka had that coming for hitting him with rocks. Of course, all of my aunts and uncles have done something like that and Gramps has had a fair amount of children and lived long enough to know. Once we finished with the subject, Suika took one look at Auntie Bitch and then at Baka and said, "Wow, your brother was right, stupid you could do better." to which he asked, "How do you mean?"

"You didn't have to marry that bitch."

"Now, she isn't all bad."

"Uhhhm, yes,..yes, she is. Listen, um, I may be alcoholic but, well, I know for a fact you could do better. Look at that thing, face it, you are a henpecked husband and is extremely unhappy with your marriage, yet, you stay on cause you wanna make it work."

"..."

"Yeah, see, I think you should divorce her and find yourself a new one, then you'll be happier. See look at your brother and his wife, they're adorable aren't they? But they're happy, I mean, what's the point of bein' married if you ain't happy."

He seemed to have listened to her, turned to his wife, and said, "This marriage is over." She stormed out, not saying a word, though that didn't stop An from saying, "Bye-bye, bitch!" After she said was what she said, she climbed onto something and jumped off, Yukari catching her. "That's Baby Thrill-seeker and she does that whenever she can." Yu-Ni said, rolling her eyes. Yukari shook her head and said, "She reminds me of Ran, when she was little. Three busted holes in the roof, one large-sized hole in the floor, three concussions, five nights of crying bloody murder, and five more of a groggy and dazed baby. Yeah, a rock hard skull does not protect from pain. Brain damage maybe but not pain. She grew out of that eventually." Mama shot her a look to which she said, "Oh don't look at me that, Ran, you really did do that but, nevertheless, I love you and I thank you for the memories I can look back on, especially when you have had children of your own and I can say what I wanna say." Mama Ran shook her head and rolled hers.

Yume Ni smirked and asked, "Do we look like a normal family to you?" We weren't in all sense of the word but we were a family, almost like the one in of those movies. To me, this was normal or pretty close, considering that our lives had been nothing but chaos until now. Frankly, I wouldn't trade these motherfuckers away for any other ones. Sure, some of the time I can't fucking stand them but, at the same, I love these motherfuckers and can't live without 'em. Sure, I have Reimu, the sleepyhead who will try to stab someone with scissors, An, who jumps off of things, Sakuya the bully, Sanae the eye-kisser, Youmu the one who says "Muh", Pug that yappy dog, Mushrooms, that big roll of fat, Cirno the more or less cousin from out-of-town, Yuuka the aunt, Tenshie the one that kicks kids across the hallway, really old grandfather, Yu-Ni, who's taking her place as the resident smartass, Suika the resident drunk, Satori the secluded one, Mokou the methhead (before she went clean), Kaguya the nurse, Remilia the observer, Flandre the friendly vampire, Kisume the shy one who hides in buckets, Kosuzu the one who reads in the hallway, and many others (besides my uncle's bitch ex-wife and, honestly, no one is gonna miss her) and, yet, I wouldn't trade these motherfuckers for anything in the world.

I love them and they are my family.

* * *

"I think he likes you, Mother-In Law."


	56. The Gap Youkai and the Elderly Kitsune

Ren's father never seemed to take his eyes off of me and I never could formulate why, until Ren told me, "I think he likes you, Mother-In Law." It had dawned on me that he seems to be smitten with me. I couldn't understand why he would be interested in me, after all, I have been touched before and I am far too old to be looking for love, yet, he pursues me. I suppose it is my unspeakable experiences at the hands of the warden and his stoolies during imprisonment is what makes me hesitant in returning his feelings, after all, while they would do such horrible things to me, they were quick to insult me, calling me a whore, and say I was lucky. Bastards. Even though I hesitate, I want to pursue, to return his feelings, his interest.

When he gazes upon me, I cannot help but to want to hide away and cover my face, being as shy as a teenaged school girl with her first crush. I_s this real? Are his feelings genuine?_ What was making me shyer is the fact that he wasn't being bold, just admiring from afar. I was doing the same, yet quick to hide my face, when he so much as glanced at me. After that, I started dressing like a widow, with a black veil, as to hide my face, further shrouding me within my shyness. Of course, the veil that hid my face made him look at me more. Oddly, I wasn't feeling so shy when I wore that veil, so I became more receptive to his feelings, playfully teasing him. To be honest, I felt awful for teasing him, be that playful, so I opted to be brave and go to him face to face.

Breaking though my wall of shyness, I surprised him by showing up at his door. We spent the day together, talking and the like. As I was leaving to go back to my apartment, he said, "I'm very happy to have spent some time with you, Miss Yakumo." I found I would visit him often, enjoying our little romance...

* * *

"Chen's takin' her first steps!"


	57. Chen's First Steps

It has been some time since Chen had lost her ability to walk due the incident that left her left leg and arm paralyzed. However, we were to find ourselves surprised. It was after lessons and I was washing dishes, Mushrooms was napping on a ragged blanket on the kitchen floor, and some of the children were kicking ball in the hallway, while Sakuya, Cirno, An, and Chen were in the livingroom watching a movie, while Reimu was napping. As I was washing the dishes, I heard Cirno say, "Chen's takin' her first steps!" My eyes widened and I hurried into the living-room to see what it is she was talking about. Sure enough, Chen actually was taking her first steps, be that barely. Her left leg, turned slightly inward, she could use but not to its full extent as some of the nerve damage proved to be residual. She limped towards me, greeted me with a "Hewwo, Wan-mommie.", and then limped back to her chair. Her left arm, however, could not be used, as it was still paralyzed.

Her regaining some of her ability to walk did give her more independence, though she still needed her chair otherwise to get around and needed someone to change her diapers. She seemed to be fairly happy to at least be able to walk, even if not to full extent.

* * *

"Guys, guys, I've finally come up with antidote!"


	58. Antidote

It had taken countless days, planning, and various experiments using Huzi as a test rat but I have finally come up with something that will age the kids back to the way they were originally. Of course, I was worried about two things occurring. One, the children not wanting to turn back but, then again, they were pissed off at Reimu for them drinking it, and, two, something going awry, even though I had tested it on Huzi, then again, I must be neurotic again.

Once I had come up with the finished product, I hurried over to their apartment. As to be expected, Reimu sniffed it and sipped it out of curiosity and was reaged back to eight, as did all of the other children, reaging them back to the way they were. They were happy, though Reimu seemed to be indifferent. Of course, she was also sleepy and only sipped it out of curiosity.

* * *

"Muma!"

"Yes, Youmu?"

"Muh! Muh! Muh!"

"She's WHAT?!"


	59. Yu the Bully

Once again, Ran is stopping Yu from beating the shit out of someone (figuratively and literary), even if she already started. She had developed a temper problem and was quick to beat or kick the crap out of anyone who's crossed her. This wasn't the first time she's started beating everyone up, actually, this is the twentieth time and, this time, she was beating up Marisa. Marisa isn't the first one she's beaten up, as she's beamed Cirno in the head with a can, punched Alice so hard that she's peed her pants, backhanded Sanae in the face, hit Maribel with a game controller, broken Renko's nose, shattered a plate on Chen's head, yanked out a lot of my hair, knocked out a few of Reimu's teeth with shoe, and punted An across the hallway, though that ended with her coming back to kick her between the legs, twice, saying, "You now have a vagina, piece o' shit." (She thinks Yu looks like a boy) The only ones she didn't get to were Shimmy, who's in Yukari's cleavage and reaching in there will get some sort of repercussion (the last guy that reached in there was left with a vagina and boobs) and Youmu, who is smart enough to climb up and or go where she can't get to her.

Why she would hit us varied. Sometimes, she got pissed off at the fact she lost a fighting game on Xbox. Sometimes, she would get mad if someone hugged Ran or said something she didn't like, even if it weren't directed at her. Sometimes, she would get mad if we played a game without her and picked a movie she didn't want to watch. Either way, she would hit us. Ran and Ren would deal with it but she would go right back to hitting us and we thought Reimu was bad. Of course, Reimu would hit but that depended on why and she wouldn't do that randomly, also she would stop, but Yu, that little piece of shit, just beats us up for the hell of it, whenever she gets mad. Honestly, is it any mystery as to why Reimu tried to stab her with a pair of scissors?

After Ran had dealt with her, she pointed to Youmu, saying, "One of these days, you little fucking asshole, you're next!" Youmu was terrified and Ran was angrier than before, saying, "_No one's_ next and you're going to stop hitting people." After that, Youmu, scared for her life, wouldn't stop crying. We didn't really know how to comfort her, as we, save Reimu, who doesn't fear anything, was terrified of Yu to do anything. After awhile, while she was asleep and when Youmu settled down, we had a meeting in the hall to decide what to do.

"Alright, how are we going to deal with her?" Marisa asked, still stinging from her black eye. That was a question we couldn't really answer, seeing we were still terrified of her. Of course, we weren't the only ones who didn't know how to deal with her, as Ran and Ren didn't either, actually. Blinking her sleepy eyes, Chen said, "We couwd wun away, aftew aww, Yu won't stop picking on us, no mattew what Mama Wan and Papa Wen says ow how they deaw wif it." We all looked at Chen and didn't know what to think about what she said. It was very late in the night and we didn't know where we'd go. "Muh?" Youmu asked, trying make sense of what she's heard.

Peeing a little, Alice asked, "Won't Ran, Ren, Yukari, and everyone be mad at us?"

"Maybe." Marisa answered, rubbing that shiner on her face

"No! No!" Sanae said, in protest.

Chirping softly, Renko said, "I don't want 'em pissed at us."

"Uh-huh." Maribel said, agreeing.

"Where the hell are we gonna go?" An, yawning, asked.

"Dammit Chen! You didn't think of that!"

"Somewhewe whewe Yu isn't."

"Okay."

"Well where is that exactly?"

"I don't know."

"No!"

"Okay, well, Chen, we kinda need a place to go."

"What the about the apawment buiwding basement?"

"Yeah, that could work."

"Uh-huh."

"Da-ze!"

"But who's going to get the keys and who can keep a secret?"

Fortunately, Cirno could keep a secret but I had to get the keys and those were in Yukari's room. _Shit!_ Gingerly, I tiptoed down the hallway, opened the door to Yukari's room, and went in. The keys were on the second level of her room, in one of the dresser drawers, next to the mirror. Fortunately, Yukari was asleep, which she should be, considering she had taken a few sleeping pills and two shots of liquor, but I still had to go through Pug, who was sleeping in one of the chairs. I tiptoed up the stairs to the second level, lightly creaking them along the way. As I was grabbing the keys, Pug woke up and started barking. Not knowing what else to do, I grabbed her, opened up the door to armoire, shoved her in, and closed the door. I checked on her owner to make sure she was still asleep, which she was, however, Shimmy wasn't but she went back to sleep. I grabbed the keys and hurried out of the apartment.

Quietly, we went downstairs to the lobby, down the hall, unlocked the basement door, went down the stairs, and locked the door behind us. About four or five hours later, Pug's loud barking rang through our ears, as did everyone calling our names. Marisa blinked and said, "Well guys, we're boned, da-ze!" We stayed quiet, hoping they wouldn't find us and make us go back upstairs and live with Yu the bullying kitsune pup. We had heard their voices for hours but they never seemed to come our way. Of course, we had forgotten the fact that we didn't bring any food down there and I drew the shortest straw. _Dammit!_ It was late at night and most of everyone had gone to bed. I tiptoed up the stairs and down the hall to our apartment and slowly opened the door, peeking in. Ran and Ren were still awake and they were talking. Listening, I could only make out, "Where do you think they've might have gone?" and, "Definitely somewhere within this building." I couldn't make out the rest because it was whispers but I could make out some things here and there. Amongst them, one sentence stood out, "Yukari said the ring of keys are stolen and she doesn't know where they are, along with the fact that she found Pug barking while in the wardrobe." The lights went out and Ran and Ren had gone to bed. I opened the door further and tiptoed in, walking to the kitchen.

As I was walking out of the kitchen with the food, the lights came on and the dog was barking again. _Busted!_ I knew who it was and there was no need to look behind me. Someone didn't take their sleeping potion of liquor and sleeping pills. "_Busted~!"_ I heard her voice whisper and echo. Yukari. Holding the food, I turned around to face her and her yappy dog. Smirking, she then asked, "Mind telling me where the others are?" _Damn!_ I was given much of a choice so I had to tell her where the others were but, however, that didn't mean I was going to and I said, "It's gonna be a long night 'cause I'm not telling you shit!"

Within thirty minutes, Ran, Ren, Yukari, and that dog was staring at me. Cirno also knew where the others were but she kept her mouth shut, as did her pet, which didn't matter as Mushrooms is such a big fatass that talking seems to take an effort, on top of the fact he's asleep. Ran narrowed her eyes and said, "Sakuya, we know that you know where the others are, so just tell us, okay?"

"Hello no!"

"Pardon?"

"No!"

"You're making this difficult."

"Okay, listen, I'm not telling you anything because we _had_ to hide, _had_ to get out of here!"

"What on earth do you mean?"

"Yes, please-"

"Ren, shut up! Since you wanna know so bad, it is because we could not deal with Yu the bully anymore and Youmu was terrified for her life so we had to get out of here! We're tired of her beating us up and causing us injuries, on top of that, she's gonna kill Youmu, so we had to do something and that was get the hell out of here! And, here are your keys back!"

Sweat and tears were streaming down my face and I wasn't going to say any more. After that, I had fainted and awoke with everyone looking at me. Sanae was lightly stroking my head, whispering, "Sleep." Peeing, Alice said, "We weren't given a choice." The others, save Reimu, who was curled up in the corner, nodded, stating the same thing. Weakly, I said, "Oh dammit!" After that, Yu the bully stopped hitting us but it would be a helluva long time before we will ever trust her again. Exactly what made her stop hitting us is the fact that Yukari and Pug gave her the taste of her medicine.

_**On the note, you readers, you! When you or someone else is being picked on by your own Yu the bullies, tell someone who can and will help you ad get the the problem resolved then and there, **__**also, when you see and know someone is being bullied, stand up and stick together against the bully, don't be a bystander, stand up and stick together,**_ don't do what we did! 

* * *

"It's okay, no need to apologize. I can't live with the grief forever."


	60. Can't live with the grief forever'

It has been awhile since Koishi died and since I had left my apartment but, this time, for the first time in a long time, I took a step outside of my apartment. They were all in awe and the world seemed to have gone silent. At first, they were hesitant to greet me but Ren, a nice as he is, said "Oh, Miss Satori, we haven't seen you in a while, not since you came over to dinner after Ko-Oh, sorry, about that." Smiling, I looked at him and said, "It's okay, no need to apologize. Can't live with the grief forever. We all cannot pretend nothing has changed, even when it has. Ren, Koishi is gone, I know and I have accepted that for what is but, even though some of the pain lingers, I cannot allow myself to wallow in it forever. I will always miss her and be reminded but I know I can't remain like this forever, for the remainder of my existence."

I visited with everyone all day. Having tea with Flandre and Remilia, then played a few games with the children, had lunch with Yuuka, dinner with the Yakumos, chatted with Suika, played cards with Kaguya, Methhead Mokou Shimmy, Ren, Ran, and Yukari "Three Shots and Sleeping Pills" Yakumo, getting acquainted with Ren's relatives, and kicking the crap Paintbrush Bitch. For the first time, in a long time, I was having the day was over and it was time to sleep, I had changed into my pyjamas, opened the window so I can see the stars, and climbed into bed, looking at the stars. For the first time, it seemed a weight had been lifted. The stars look pretty, tonight, and I think I can see Koishi's star. _I wonder how tomorrow will be..._

* * *

The next morning, however, was a tad somber. Reimu wanted to say good morning to Satori and went over to her apartment to knock on the door, happily saying, "Wake up, Satori, wake up!" She figured she wasn't awake yet, so she left it be until they were out in the hallway playing and that was when we heard her sound more frantic, screaming, "Satori? Sattie? SATTIE!" before weakly saying, "Wake up, Sattie,...wake up..., please." We were worried so Yukari unlocked the door and we went to investigate what became of Satori.

What we had discovered is that she passed away peacefully in her sleep. No foul play, no suicide, no accident, just simply had fallen asleep and never woke up. She had let go of her grief, allowing her finally move on and be at peace. The pain still lingered but she had decided to move on. It seems, she had taught us a lesson and that, while it may be hard, we have to move one from the pain eventually. Of course, we can grieve, it's wise to do so, but we are going to have to leave the past behind and move on from the pain even thought it will linger. If it lingers, then, well, we will still have to push through and move on, not allowing ourselves to wallow in it. We must be grateful that we are still alive and that those in the sky will have wanted us to live. Like she said, we can't live the with grief.

We had her funeral in the forest and left her resting place be there. We had all mourned her but it seemed the children, save An and Yume Ni, for they didn't know her all that well, were hit the hardest, especially, Reimu, who was so sad and depressed that she had fallen asleep and remained like that for the rest of the day. It would be awhile before they can get over Sattie's death. Of course, Sattie was family and the death of a family member can feel like an eternal rainstorm.

Satori, wherever you are, if you can hear me, thank you. I've learned your lesson and I can only hope the others will learn it, too.

* * *

"It's An vs. Paintbrush Bitch!"


End file.
